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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: bore · bass · cell · rash · pitcher · mug · tube · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bore — to tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mug — a face
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rash — a series
  17. press — to push
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bass — low music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bass — the fish
  24. cell — a phone

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