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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. tube — a container
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pass — a permit
  11. press — newspapers
  12. craft — a skill
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. press — to push
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. game — a match
  18. content — the amount
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. craft — boats
  23. content — happy
  24. wave — of the sea

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