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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
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: toast · mug · current · content · fan · cell · file · press

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. content — happy
  3. current — happening now
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mug — a cup
  6. content — the amount
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cell — in biology
  9. press — to push
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. current — of water
  14. file — a tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. press — newspapers
  17. file — a document
  18. toast — bread
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — electric
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mug — a face

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