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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ground — a position
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — to protest
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bear — the animal
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — a match
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ground — crushed
  18. object — an aim
  19. ground — the earth
  20. press — to push
  21. rock — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com