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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 120 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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a plant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fall — the season
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. tube — the underground
  12. root — the cause
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fall — to drop
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. row — to paddle
  19. root — of a word
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. foot — a measure
  22. row — a line
  23. tube — a container
  24. press — newspapers

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