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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.

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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: tube · hand · mouse · clip · press · leaves · kick · firm

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — a company
  3. clip — for paper
  4. press — newspapers
  5. clip — a video
  6. firm — steady
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. tube — a container
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. firm — decided
  16. press — to push
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. clip — to cut
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. press — a publisher
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. hand — help

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