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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. net — after costs
  4. wake — a trail
  5. tube — a container
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. net — for catching
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. press — newspapers
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. tube — the underground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — in sport
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bank — of a river

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