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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 124 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. press — to push
  4. mark — a grade
  5. root — of a word
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. kick — in football
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. net — after costs
  11. press — newspapers
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mark — a trace
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. root — of a plant
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bat — the animal

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