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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. clip — a video
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chip — to eat
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. can — a tin
  17. clip — for paper
  18. press — to push
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — for betting
  23. clip — to cut
  24. root — of a word

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