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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. press — a publisher
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. file — a tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. file — a document
  12. mug — a face
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mug — a cup
  18. file — a line of people
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mug — to rob
  23. press — to push
  24. pass — a permit

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