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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pass — a permit
  4. spring — of water
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. spring — a coil
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stock — shares
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — goods
  12. press — a publisher
  13. board — to get on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. tube — a container
  20. press — newspapers
  21. board — a committee
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. press — to push
  24. tube — in a tire

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