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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stock — goods
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. content — the amount
  10. stock — shares
  11. hand — in cards
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. root — the cause
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. root — of a word
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. press — a publisher
  21. hand — help
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. foot — part of the body

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