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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a plant
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. press — to push
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. court — of a king
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. root — of a word
  12. press — newspapers
  13. court — of law
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. tube — a container
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. root — the cause
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. court — for sport

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