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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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. court — for sport
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. key — the most important part
  8. present — there
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. object — an aim
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. content — the amount
  20. object — to protest
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. key — in music
  24. content — happy

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