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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. press — to push
  4. ground — crushed
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ball — a great time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ground — a position
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rest — what's left
  22. can — a tin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ball — a round shape

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