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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. toast — bread
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pit — a hole
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. row — a line
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. land — a country
  19. row — to paddle
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bear — the animal

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