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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. root — the cause
  3. bulb — for light
  4. press — to push
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a friend
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pop — soda
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. track — a path
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — a trail
  18. root — of a plant
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pop — music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. root — of a word

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