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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. land — ground
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. land — a country
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. tube — a container
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. suit — clothes
  18. press — to push
  19. bass — low music
  20. land — to come down
  21. press — newspapers
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — to fit

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