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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. date — the fruit
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — a container
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. roll — a cake
  9. content — the amount
  10. roll — a list
  11. charge — in control
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. content — happy
  15. press — newspapers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. press — a publisher
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. date — on the calendar

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