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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — a hint
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — in a race
  5. root — of a plant
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cue — for pool
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ground — the earth

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