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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. track — to keep track
  5. charge — in control
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. band — a music group
  8. press — to push
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. press — a publisher
  12. charge — electricity
  13. band — a ring
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — a path
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — a song
  24. press — newspapers

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