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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bass — low music
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pop — to visit
  6. content — happy
  7. pop — soda
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pop — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. suit — clothes
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. tube — a container
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — in cards

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