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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: mine · rule · rash · press · tube · bear · spell · rock

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rock — a stone
  4. press — to push
  5. rock — music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rule — a law
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — letters
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. spell — magic
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — in a tire

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