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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. press — newspapers
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. press — a publisher
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. key — in music
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. bore — to drill
  21. press — to push
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. key — for a lock

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