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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. press — to push
  3. object — an aim
  4. press — newspapers
  5. content — happy
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. object — a thing
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a dance
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — a publisher
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. nail — on a finger

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