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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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rock — a stone
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rest — what's left
  7. kid — child
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. degree — an amount
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kid — to tease
  13. root — the cause
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. degree — from a university
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rock — music
  21. rest — a break
  22. press — to push
  23. roll — a list
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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