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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. root — of a word
  3. wake — a trail
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. press — to push
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. face — part of the head
  12. content — the amount
  13. press — a publisher
  14. face — to point toward
  15. root — of a plant
  16. face — to confront
  17. content — happy
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rule — a law
  20. spell — magic
  21. firm — a company
  22. rule — government
  23. root — the cause
  24. spell — letters

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