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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. root — the cause
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. root — of a plant
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. root — of a word
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — obliged
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. press — a publisher
  18. saw — the tool
  19. press — to push
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ground — a position
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ground — the earth

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