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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · rash · bay · pop · ground · cell · tube · press

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rash — a series
  9. ground — crushed
  10. tube — a container
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pop — music
  17. cell — a phone
  18. pop — soda
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. press — to push
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ground — a position
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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