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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.

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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: perch · fan · fork · bulb · rest · racket · press · mark

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a trace
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mark — a grade
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — newspapers
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. press — to push
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — a garden tool

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