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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 · lie · mug · last · wake · coach · press · mate

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — finally
  4. mug — a face
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. last — final
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mate — to breed
  18. press — a publisher
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. press — to push
  22. lie — to recline
  23. press — newspapers
  24. last — to go on

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