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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 116 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: rush · hide · tube · bulb · press · club · pit · root

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pit — a hole
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. club — for golf
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tube — a container
  12. bulb — for light
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pit — in a race
  16. club — a group
  17. root — of a word
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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