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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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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. root — the cause
  3. press — to push
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. hand — help
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. press — newspapers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. hand — in cards
  13. press — a publisher
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — in football
  20. present — a gift
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — a thrill

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