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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. scale — in music
  6. press — to push
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — thin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. root — of a word
  11. wound — an injury
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rest — a break
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wound — an injury
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rest — what's left

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