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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. tube — a container
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. root — the cause
  6. stand — to bear
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitch — completely
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. root — of a word
  18. press — to push
  19. land — a country
  20. root — of a plant
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stock — a soup base

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