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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: pitcher · deal · bass · press · root · suit · prune · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — in cards
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. tube — a container
  10. bass — low music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — to push
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. deal — a big deal

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