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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: perch · pitcher · court · ball · press · board · stem · bulb

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. court — of law
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. court — of a king
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. court — for sport
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a round shape

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