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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. kid — child
  3. press — to push
  4. band — a music group
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pound — a weight
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. tube — the underground
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. present — a gift
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tube — a container

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