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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: firm · press · ball · bulb · ruler · current · branch · wax

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — to push
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. current — of water
  6. wax — to grow
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. branch — a division
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. press — a publisher
  19. firm — steady
  20. ball — a great time
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. press — newspapers
  24. ruler — for measuring

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