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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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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: kick · roll · stand · bulb · jam · deal · press · cap

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stand — to bear
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. deal — to handle
  15. roll — a cake
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. roll — a list
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. press — a publisher
  24. jam — a tight spot

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