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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. root — the cause
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rock — music
  12. root — of a word
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. press — to push
  17. march — music
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — thin
  22. wake — a trail
  23. content — the amount
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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