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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 120 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. press — to push
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — decided
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. press — newspapers
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — to sink
  10. perch — the fish
  11. content — the amount
  12. spell — a short time
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. firm — steady
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. spell — magic
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. firm — a company
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. spell — letters
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. content — happy
  24. press — a publisher

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