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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. content — the amount
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ball — a dance
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. field — farmland
  9. content — happy
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. press — to push
  13. chip — to eat
  14. field — for sport
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. field — a subject
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chair — a leader
  23. press — a publisher
  24. content — videos and posts

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