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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 120 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: net · mouse · season · leaves · pit · clip · press · tube

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. clip — for paper
  3. press — newspapers
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. season — of the year
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — a container
  8. pit — a hole
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. net — for catching
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. tube — the underground
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. pit — in a race
  21. clip — a video
  22. season — in sport
  23. clip — to cut
  24. tube — in a tire

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