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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. object — a thing
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stock — shares
  7. object — to protest
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. object — an aim
  12. press — to push
  13. prune — to trim
  14. net — for catching
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. net — after costs
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. net — in sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. season — of the year
  22. prune — to trim
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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