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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. press — a publisher
  3. current — of water
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — a tin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. content — the amount
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. can — to be able to
  12. press — to push
  13. ground — the earth
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. press — newspapers
  21. swing — in golf
  22. current — happening now
  23. can — a tin
  24. content — happy

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