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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. press — newspapers
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. press — a publisher

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