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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: press · pitcher · game · toast · content · kick · mouse · arm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — in football
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. content — the amount
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. game — wild animals
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. press — to push
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. game — a match
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. content — happy
  23. toast — bread
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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