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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — of a word
  3. clip — a video
  4. root — the cause
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — for paper
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. clip — to cut
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. object — an aim
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. root — of a plant
  18. content — happy
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. content — the amount
  23. press — newspapers
  24. plane — a tool

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