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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · pop · bulb · press · rock · patient · spring · pitch

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. rock — a stone
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ground — a position
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spring — the season
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spring — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. press — a publisher
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. press — to push
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rock — music
  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