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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: press · squash · dip · mate · temple · content · bear · chip

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mate — to breed
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — to crush
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. content — the amount
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — to push
  10. content — happy
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mate — a friend
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. press — a publisher
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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