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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. game — wild animals
  6. press — to push
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. press — a publisher
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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