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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · hand · fine · press · tube · bay · band · hide

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cell — a phone
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cell — in biology
  8. tube — a container
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fine — all right
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fine — high quality
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. band — a music group
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. band — a ring
  21. hand — help
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. tube — the underground
  24. press — to push

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