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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. root — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a word
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. root — the cause
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pound — a weight
  20. press — to push
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. tear — from crying

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