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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. capital — money
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bear — the animal
  11. press — to push
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. content — happy
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — to drop

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