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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.

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: press · coach · perch · mouse · bay · bulb · ball · racket

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. press — to push
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — a publisher
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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