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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. root — of a word
  5. content — happy
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. press — newspapers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. root — the cause
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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