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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — moving air
  4. tube — a container
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wind — moving air
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — to fit
  18. press — newspapers
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. dip — to dunk

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