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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — to push
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rule — government
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — a publisher
  16. craft — boats
  17. rule — a law
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rule — to rule out

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