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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. object — a thing
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. toast — bread
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. press — newspapers
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ground — the earth
  12. hand — help
  13. press — to push
  14. object — to protest
  15. wake — a trail
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hand — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. object — an aim
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. ground — a position

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