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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pop — music
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. deal — to handle
  5. root — of a word
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — the cause
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. scale — size or range

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