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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. content — the amount
  4. root — the cause
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. press — a publisher
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. current — of water
  10. content — happy
  11. current — happening now
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. craft — boats
  15. rush — hurry
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — electric
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. root — of a word
  21. mine — for digging
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. root — of a plant
  24. jam — in traffic

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