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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
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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 · snap · coach · leaves · tube · bulb · cold · temple

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. press — to push
  7. snap — to click
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tube — the underground
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — a publisher
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cold — not warm

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