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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: craft · pound · bulb · press · suit · club · bark · rush

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. press — newspapers
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bark — to shout
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. craft — boats
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for golf
  19. suit — clothes
  20. press — to push
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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