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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — to push
  3. root — the cause
  4. chip — to eat
  5. march — the month
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — of a word
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lie — to recline
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — to bend
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — thin
  23. march — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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