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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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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: present · bulb · ruler · press · racket · board

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — a gift
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — newspapers
  11. present — the time now
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — to get on
  16. present — there
  17. press — to push
  18. racket — for tennis

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