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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: clip · rock · bulb · press · charge · season · plane · firm

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. clip — a video
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. press — to push
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — steady
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rock — music
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — in control
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — of the year
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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