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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. content — happy
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. content — the amount
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lie — an untruth

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