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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. root — of a plant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. root — of a word
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. press — newspapers
  9. court — for sport
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — of law
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. root — the cause
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. press — to push
  20. court — of a king
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. press — a publisher

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