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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. press — a publisher
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. bound — obliged
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. toast — bread

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