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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — a container
  14. race — humankind
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stock — shares
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — to push
  22. tube — the underground
  23. race — a contest
  24. rush — hurry

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