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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: bear · net · press · squash · bulb · stem · racket · bound

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bear — the animal
  9. press — to push
  10. net — in sport
  11. stem — to come from
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. net — after costs
  15. bound — certain
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. press — a publisher

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