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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 120 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: suit · tube · last · bound · can · bear · press · cell

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cell — in biology
  5. press — to push
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — a container
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bear — the animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cell — a phone
  15. last — final
  16. bound — obliged
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — finally
  21. bound — certain
  22. suit — clothes
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tube — the underground

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