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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mate — a partner
  18. press — to push

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