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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 116 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. tube — a container
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stock — shares
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. firm — a company
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. spring — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — a hole
  17. press — to push
  18. firm — decided
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — to recline
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — steady
  24. prune — to trim

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