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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: bulb · jam · stock · lash · game · toast · press · fine

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. press — a publisher
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. press — to push
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stock — goods
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stock — shares
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bulb — for light
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. toast — bread
  24. game — a match

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