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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · press · cap · bear · game · mate · wound · leaves

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cap — of ice
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cap — a hat
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. game — a match
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wound — an injury
  23. content — happy
  24. cap — a lid

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