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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — happy
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. press — to push
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — in a road
  17. press — a publisher
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bark — to shout

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