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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. pop — music
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pop — soda
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. press — to push
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rash — hasty
  11. press — a publisher
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. row — a line
  16. mug — a cup
  17. press — newspapers
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mug — a face
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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