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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mark — a grade
  7. press — newspapers
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — to bear
  11. press — to push
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bark — to shout
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. press — a publisher
  17. content — happy
  18. can — to be able to
  19. root — the cause
  20. cap — a hat
  21. content — the amount
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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