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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 120 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: cue · lean · bank · game · bulb · bear · press · spring

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — a match
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spring — the season
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. press — a publisher
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. press — to push
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spring — of water
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. cue — a hint

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