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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. toast — bread
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. content — happy
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. press — to push
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. foot — a measure
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rush — hurry
  14. press — a publisher
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. spell — letters
  21. deal — to handle
  22. content — the amount
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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