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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lean — to bend
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. spell — a short time
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. drill — a practice
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spell — letters
  12. drill — army training
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. press — a publisher
  17. spell — magic
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. toast — bread
  20. lean — thin
  21. drill — the tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. press — to push
  24. jam — in traffic

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