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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: spring · lie · press · stock · wax · tube · ball · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — a coil
  8. tube — a container
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. press — newspapers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. ball — a dance
  20. press — to push
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wax — to grow

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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