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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mug — a face
  14. content — happy
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. press — to push
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wind — moving air
  23. content — the amount
  24. press — a publisher

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