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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. current — happening now
  4. press — to push
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — a publisher
  9. present — the time now
  10. pit — a hole
  11. present — there
  12. land — to come down
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. content — the amount
  15. present — a gift
  16. ball — a great time
  17. land — ground
  18. press — newspapers
  19. toast — bread
  20. pit — in a race
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. content — happy

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