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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. toast — bread
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. present — the time now
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. press — to push
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. press — newspapers
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — a gift
  18. content — happy
  19. present — there
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. can — to be able to

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