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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. press — newspapers
  3. last — finally
  4. last — to go on
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — to push
  8. content — the amount
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bear — the animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rest — a break
  14. last — final
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hand — help
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. hand — in cards
  21. content — happy
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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