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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 cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. press — to push
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bank — of a river
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — decided
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — a container
  19. tear — to rip
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — steady
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. firm — a company

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