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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mark — a grade
  4. press — a publisher
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. face — to confront
  9. prune — to trim
  10. root — of a word
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. press — newspapers
  14. face — to point toward
  15. firm — steady
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — a company
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. arm — a part of something

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