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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: press · fan · lean · season · bulb · club · bass · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — in sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — the fish
  9. season — of the year
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — thin
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bass — low music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — to bend
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — for golf

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