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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stock — goods
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. press — newspapers
  10. firm — steady
  11. root — the cause
  12. stock — shares
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. firm — decided
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — a company
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. press — to push
  24. wound — an injury

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