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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. key — in music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. root — the cause
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. season — in sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. present — a gift
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. present — the time now
  13. stand — to bear
  14. root — of a word
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — happy
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — of the year
  21. key — the most important part
  22. present — there
  23. craft — a skill
  24. content — the amount

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