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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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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: racket · leaves · cap · ruler · press · pound · bulb · swing

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pound — a weight
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. press — to push
  16. cap — a hat
  17. press — newspapers
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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