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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: pitcher · press · bound · wake · bulb · row · fork · rest

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — a break
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — a publisher
  11. row — to paddle
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. press — to push
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — for light
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rest — what's left
  23. row — a line
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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