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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: pitcher · bat · saw · ruler · court · bay · press · bulb

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. press — newspapers
  8. court — of a king
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. court — of law
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. court — for sport
  21. press — to push
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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