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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: rush · roll · face · leaves · staff · press · bowl · bulb

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. staff — a stick
  13. roll — a list
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. press — to push
  22. face — to confront
  23. rush — hurry
  24. face — part of the head

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