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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mug — to rob
  4. drill — the tool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. content — the amount
  12. drill — army training
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. press — to push
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. press — a publisher
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. deal — an agreement

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