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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. saw — the tool
  5. root — of a word
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chair — a leader
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bank — for money
  18. capital — money
  19. press — to push
  20. cell — a phone
  21. capital — a city
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bank — of a river

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