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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 120 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: firm · bear · mug · press · rush · bulb · track · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. track — a song
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. track — to keep track
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bat — the animal
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mug — to rob
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mug — a cup
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. firm — a company
  23. mug — a face
  24. track — a path

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