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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. drill — army training
  4. tube — a container
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — the tool
  11. season — in sport
  12. press — to push
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. press — newspapers
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bank — for money
  23. pass — a permit
  24. season — of the year

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