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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cold — an illness
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pop — soda
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pop — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. press — to push
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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