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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: press · bay · game · fan · bulb · deal · spring · ground

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. game — wild animals
  6. spring — of water
  7. ground — crushed
  8. deal — to handle
  9. game — a match
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ground — a position
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. spring — the season
  24. deal — a big deal

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