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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. club — for dancing
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — to push
  9. lean — thin
  10. club — a group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. spell — magic
  17. press — a publisher
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for golf
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. press — newspapers

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