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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. press — to push
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. root — of a word

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