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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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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 · suit · mug · cell · jam · bore · bass · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bass — low music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — a face
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. content — the amount
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bass — the fish
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cell — in biology
  19. mug — a cup
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. jam — a tight spot

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