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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fork — in a road
  3. press — to push
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. squash — the sport
  10. press — a publisher
  11. squash — to crush
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. content — happy
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fork — to eat with

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