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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. last — to go on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bound — obliged
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pass — a permit
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. last — final
  17. chip — for betting
  18. last — finally
  19. press — to push
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  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