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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pit — a hole
  4. root — of a word
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. root — the cause
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a plant
  14. march — music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. march — the month
  24. wax — for sculpting

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