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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — a phone
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pitch — completely
  7. press — newspapers
  8. capital — money
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cell — in biology
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. press — a publisher
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. press — to push
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a city
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. jam — in traffic

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