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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.

Words on the sheet
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: kid · bass · press · arm · key · spring · ball · bulb

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. press — to push
  3. spring — the season
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. spring — of water
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. key — the most important part
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kid — child

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