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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.

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: pit · tube · craft · bulb · mouse · stand · scale · press

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. craft — boats
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. press — to push
  17. scale — in music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. tube — a container
  20. scale — size or range
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bulb — for light

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