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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: press · firm · stock · land · pound · root · tube · mouse

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. firm — steady
  8. press — newspapers
  9. land — a country
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — decided
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. root — of a word
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — the underground
  19. land — ground
  20. press — to push
  21. root — the cause
  22. land — to come down
  23. stock — goods
  24. pound — a weight

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