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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. press — newspapers
  4. field — farmland
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. can — a tin
  9. field — for sport
  10. degree — temperature
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. field — a subject
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. degree — an amount
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — to be able to
  17. degree — from a university
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — to handle
  22. press — a publisher
  23. can — a tin
  24. toast — bread

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