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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. tube — the underground
  6. last — final
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lean — thin
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. last — finally
  11. press — to push
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — clothes
  15. last — to go on
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. charge — electricity
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — in control
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. press — newspapers
  24. lean — to bend

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