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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. press — newspapers
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. march — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spell — a short time
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. content — the amount
  10. march — the month
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. press — to push
  13. spell — letters
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. press — a publisher
  16. content — happy
  17. spell — magic
  18. march — the month

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