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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: mate · snap · press · bulb · patient · bank · bark · pitch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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. mate — to breed
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mate — a partner
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — to shout
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. snap — to click
  12. press — to push
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bank — for money
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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