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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. press — newspapers
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. press — a publisher
  6. toast — bread
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rash — a series
  11. content — happy
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. perch — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. content — the amount
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rash — hasty
  22. press — to push
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. perch — for a bird

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