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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 120 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: nail · leaves · bowl · field · bass · dip · press · bulb

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. field — farmland
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — to push
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. field — for sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bass — the fish
  18. field — a subject
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bass — low music
  24. press — newspapers

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