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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. press — to push
  8. track — a path
  9. rock — music
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a song
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rock — a stone
  18. press — newspapers
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. tube — the underground
  23. squash — the sport
  24. track — to keep track

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