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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. press — to push
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. roll — a list
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stand — to bear
  10. row — to paddle
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pound — a weight
  15. can — to be able to
  16. press — a publisher
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. tube — a container
  20. row — a line
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. can — a tin

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