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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. root — of a plant
  4. spell — magic
  5. root — the cause
  6. press — newspapers
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spell — letters
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. foot — a measure
  12. band — a ring
  13. root — of a word
  14. press — to push
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — ground
  17. wake — a trail
  18. press — a publisher
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. land — to come down
  22. band — a music group
  23. land — a country
  24. mouse — for a computer

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