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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 120 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: bear · ball · bay · pop · press · bulb · chip · mate

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mate — to breed
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pop — music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. press — to push
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bulb — for light

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