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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.

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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: sharp · calf · pop · toast · coach · key · bulb · press

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pop — music
  10. press — to push
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pop — soda
  24. sharp — clever

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