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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. shower — rain
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. press — to push
  6. cap — a hat
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. root — of a word
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — a lid
  16. charge — a price
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — a safe
  19. root — the cause
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. shower — to wash
  24. cap — of ice

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