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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. root — the cause
  4. plane — a tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. root — of a word
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. root — of a plant
  11. content — the amount
  12. key — in music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — the most important part
  15. content — happy
  16. present — a gift
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pit — in a race
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. foot — a measure
  24. present — there

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