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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 116 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: trunk · lash · pitch · bulb · tube · nail · game · press

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. press — to push
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pitch — completely
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. press — newspapers
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bulb — for light

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