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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · can · press · dip · perch · root · fan · cell

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — to be able to
  11. press — newspapers
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to sink
  15. press — to push
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. press — a publisher
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cell — in biology
  24. fan — to cool the air

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