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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wound — an injury
  9. press — to push
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — of a plant
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. snap — to click
  18. ground — the earth
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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