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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cap — a lid
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. press — to push
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. prune — to trim
  8. root — of a plant
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. press — a publisher
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. root — the cause
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. root — of a word
  18. chair — a leader
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cap — a hat
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. charge — in control

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