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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — a publisher
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. press — to push
  11. bear — the animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — of a river
  14. press — newspapers
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fan — a supporter

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