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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fork — in a road
  5. capital — a city
  6. press — newspapers
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. root — of a word
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. stand — to bear
  14. capital — money
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. root — the cause
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — for money
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pop — music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — to eat with

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