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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — to protest
  5. mine — for digging
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. press — a publisher
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. press — to push
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. object — a thing
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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