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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spell — a short time
  3. root — of a word
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — letters
  8. root — of a plant
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pop — soda
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pop — music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. press — to push
  17. spell — magic
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pop — to visit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. scale — in music
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. root — the cause

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