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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — in sport
  5. tube — the underground
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. press — newspapers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — a container
  15. suit — clothes
  16. branch — a division
  17. pass — a permit
  18. net — for catching
  19. press — a publisher
  20. net — after costs
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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