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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: fork · jam · press · mark · toast · staff · mine · mug

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mug — to rob
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. staff — employees
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mark — a grade
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mug — a face
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fork — in a road
  19. staff — a stick
  20. toast — bread
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. press — newspapers
  23. staff — employees
  24. press — a publisher

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