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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. tube — the underground
  9. press — to push
  10. pound — a weight
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. tube — a container
  17. cue — for pool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. branch — a division
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — to hit hard

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