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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spring — of water
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — the underground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — to push
  12. tube — a container
  13. pound — a weight
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. press — newspapers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. spring — a coil

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