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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. press — newspapers
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. press — to push
  5. root — the cause
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ball — a great time
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a dance
  14. degree — an amount
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. press — a publisher
  17. degree — temperature
  18. hand — help
  19. root — of a word
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. root — of a plant
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. degree — from a university

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