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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
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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 · last · press · bat · suit · plane · bulb · tube

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. last — finally
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — to push
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. last — to go on
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — a container
  23. press — a publisher
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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