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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cold — an illness
  6. press — to push
  7. staff — a stick
  8. press — a publisher
  9. object — a thing
  10. press — newspapers
  11. object — to protest
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. object — an aim
  17. ground — a position
  18. can — to be able to
  19. staff — employees
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. cold — the Cold War

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