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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. press — to push
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. press — newspapers
  8. staff — employees
  9. tube — a container
  10. file — a document
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. staff — a stick
  17. press — a publisher
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. file — a line of people
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. file — a tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rash — a series

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