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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 116 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: bowl · scale · staff · bulb · tube · safe · press · field

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. field — a subject
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. tube — the underground
  5. scale — size or range
  6. press — a publisher
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. press — newspapers
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — farmland
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — a container
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. field — for sport
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — to push
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — in music

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