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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. court — for sport
  3. press — a publisher
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. shower — rain
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. press — to push
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. press — newspapers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. court — of law
  17. branch — a division
  18. dip — to sink
  19. court — of a king
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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