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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · bulb · ball · craft · band · squash

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. press — to push
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. press — newspapers
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — the sport
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ball — a great time
  18. craft — boats

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