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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — the underground
  3. court — for sport
  4. rush — hurry
  5. root — the cause
  6. court — of a king
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. court — of law
  12. press — to push
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hand — help
  21. root — of a word
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. hand — part of the body

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