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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: wind · press · bulb · wake · mouse · plane · pit · squash

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wind — moving air
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — a trail
  13. press — to push
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wind — moving air
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bulb — for light
  24. squash — the vegetable

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