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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. tube — the underground
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. press — to push
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. press — a publisher
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — for sport
  13. tube — a container
  14. spring — of water
  15. field — a subject
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spring — the season

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