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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · kid · bulb · last · coach · press · land · mate

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — a friend
  4. land — ground
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. land — a country
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. press — to push
  11. kid — child
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — newspapers
  21. land — to come down
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. coach — a trainer

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