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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. present — the time now
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. present — there
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. club — a group
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. club — for golf
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. club — for dancing
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. content — happy
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. present — a gift
  21. content — the amount
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rock — music

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