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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. scale — in music
  3. march — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bound — certain
  9. march — the month
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — to visit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pop — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bound — obliged
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. can — to be able to
  22. scale — size or range
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. march — the month

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