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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. drill — army training
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — a thing
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — to protest
  22. chip — for betting
  23. object — an aim
  24. drill — the tool

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