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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: press · present · mate · bear · tube · root · sharp · stock

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stock — shares
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — there
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tube — the underground
  12. root — the cause
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. present — the time now
  17. root — of a word
  18. stock — goods
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. tube — a container
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. press — to push
  24. present — a gift

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