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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. press — newspapers
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stock — goods
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wound — an injury
  7. key — the most important part
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — shares
  10. root — the cause
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. spring — the season
  14. root — of a word
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pop — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — of water
  20. pop — soda
  21. wound — an injury
  22. spring — a coil
  23. key — in music
  24. racket — for tennis

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