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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. last — finally
  3. mate — a friend
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. root — of a word
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mate — a partner
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. press — a publisher
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. root — the cause
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — a jug

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