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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.

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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. content — happy
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fine — all right
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. press — a publisher
  10. current — electric
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rush — hurry
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. press — to push
  16. content — the amount
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rush — to hurry

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