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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.

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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: tube · press · bulb · season · field · band · cue · key

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. field — farmland
  5. key — for a lock
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. field — for sport
  8. press — a publisher
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a music group
  12. cue — for pool
  13. band — a ring
  14. press — to push
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bulb — for light
  18. field — a subject
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. key — the most important part
  21. tube — a container
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. tube — the underground

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