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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rush — hurry
  3. press — newspapers
  4. content — happy
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. content — the amount
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. press — to push
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — in cards
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mouse — the animal

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