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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 124 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. season — in sport
  3. press — newspapers
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. current — electric
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. press — a publisher
  9. root — of a plant
  10. perch — the fish
  11. current — happening now
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. current — of water
  15. foot — a measure
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. root — the cause
  21. press — to push
  22. tear — from crying
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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