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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: ruler · bulb · band · bank · toast · press · object · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. toast — bread
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. object — to protest
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. object — a thing
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — an aim
  11. band — a ring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — in sport
  14. press — newspapers
  15. band — a music group
  16. bulb — for light
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — to push
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. press — a publisher

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