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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 116 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. press — to push
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — a position
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rest — what's left

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