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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. drill — a practice
  4. press — a publisher
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — for golf
  7. root — the cause
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — to trim
  10. club — a group
  11. mark — a trace
  12. drill — army training
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. root — of a word
  15. mark — a grade
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. march — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. drill — the tool
  24. club — for dancing

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