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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: stem · season · tube · spell · dip · ball · press · mark

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. season — in sport
  3. mark — a trace
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. spell — letters
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — magic
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. season — of the year
  22. press — to push
  23. dip — to sink
  24. tube — a container

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