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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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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 · press · wind · trunk · bulb · ruler · roll · last

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. roll — a list
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. last — finally
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — the fish
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. press — to push
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. trunk — of a car

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