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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: mark · bulb · mouse · press · court · band · rock · lie

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. court — for sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — to recline
  6. band — a music group
  7. mark — a trace
  8. press — a publisher
  9. court — of a king
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. rock — a stone
  18. press — to push
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — music
  24. press — newspapers

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