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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fork — in a road
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. tube — in a tire

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