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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: bulb · straw · leaves · rock · press · ruler · fan · pop

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — soda
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pop — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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