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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: toast · press · object · content · charge · bat · leaves · mug

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. toast — bread
  5. charge — in control
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. press — a publisher
  8. content — happy
  9. mug — a face
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bat — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. press — to push
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mug — a cup
  21. content — the amount
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — a price
  24. mug — to rob

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