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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — to crush
  4. current — happening now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rule — a law
  14. bore — to tire
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — to drill
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. press — a publisher
  22. current — of water
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bulb — for light

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