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

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. root — the cause
  14. pitch — completely
  15. press — to push
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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