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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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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: ball · press · charge · drill · bulb · rush · face · rock

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rock — music
  5. face — to confront
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a great time
  20. drill — army training
  21. rock — a stone
  22. face — to point toward
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rush — hurry

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