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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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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: root · bear · key · press · sharp · bay · cap · face

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. root — of a plant
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — to confront
  7. press — newspapers
  8. root — of a word
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cap — a hat
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bear — the animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. root — the cause
  19. sharp — clever
  20. press — to push
  21. face — part of the head
  22. key — in music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cap — a lid

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