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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. court — of law
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — the underground
  7. firm — decided
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. tear — from crying
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. game — a match
  13. firm — a company
  14. pound — a weight
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. court — of a king
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tear — to rip
  19. game — wild animals
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. tear — from crying
  22. court — for sport
  23. tube — a container
  24. firm — steady

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