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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 116 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. can — a tin
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. present — there
  6. kid — to tease
  7. press — a publisher
  8. present — a gift
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. root — of a plant
  12. present — the time now
  13. press — to push
  14. root — of a word
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. root — the cause
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — electric

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