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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. press — to push
  3. spring — of water
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bound — tied together
  7. season — in sport
  8. spring — the season
  9. bound — obliged
  10. press — a publisher
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. can — to be able to
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spring — a coil
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bound — certain
  23. season — of the year
  24. can — a tin

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