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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. content — happy
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. fine — high quality
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. press — to push
  18. rule — government
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bound — certain
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. racket — a loud noise

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