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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stock — goods
  5. pit — a hole
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — decided
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — steady
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stock — shares
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. press — to push
  17. firm — a company
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — in a race
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bowl — to roll

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