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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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468
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: press · current · mouse · dip · shower · racket · bulb · season

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — of the year
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. press — to push

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