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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. perch — the fish
  4. tube — the underground
  5. root — of a plant
  6. press — a publisher
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. plane — a tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tube — a container
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stand — to bear

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