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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. key — in music
  7. craft — boats
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — the most important part
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. present — there
  15. press — a publisher
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — a skill
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. root — the cause
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. content — the amount
  22. root — of a plant
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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