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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: mug · can · press · spring · bulb · kick · last · wave

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. last — to go on
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. mug — to rob
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kick — in football
  19. spring — a coil
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bulb — for light
  22. press — to push
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — of the sea

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