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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bat — the animal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. root — the cause
  8. present — there
  9. fine — all right
  10. ball — a great time
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ball — a dance
  14. present — a gift
  15. craft — boats
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. present — the time now
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. craft — a skill
  24. date — on the calendar

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