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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: land · lie · wake · stem · bulb · racket · roll · press

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — a country
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. land — ground
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. roll — a list
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. land — to come down
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lie — to recline
  19. press — to push
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — before a funeral

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