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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · firm · spring · tube · press · wind · can · file

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. tube — a container
  5. file — a line of people
  6. spring — of water
  7. press — a publisher
  8. file — a document
  9. firm — decided
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. press — to push
  13. spring — the season
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — in football
  21. spring — a coil
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. tube — the underground
  24. file — a tool

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