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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rest — a break
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cell — in biology
  8. content — happy
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — to push
  15. last — finally
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. content — the amount
  19. lie — to recline
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rest — what's left
  22. last — final
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. last — to go on

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