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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · key · press · root · bore · cell · spell · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — newspapers
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. date — the fruit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. root — of a plant
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — to push
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — the most important part
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. spell — letters
  17. root — the cause
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. root — of a word
  20. spell — magic
  21. key — in music
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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