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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. press — newspapers
  4. craft — boats
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rule — a law
  8. bear — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. land — to come down
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. tube — a container
  19. land — a country
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. press — to push
  23. land — ground
  24. tube — the underground

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