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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — to fit
  11. present — the time now
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — a gift
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mate — to breed
  23. present — there
  24. mate — a friend

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