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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: lean · kick · bear · row · press · bulb · toast · fine

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — to push
  4. toast — bread
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. row — a line
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — in football
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. lean — thin
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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