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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fall — to drop
  3. land — a country
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — the cause
  6. fall — the season
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. land — to come down
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. root — of a plant
  13. press — to push
  14. root — of a word
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. land — ground
  19. press — a publisher
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a hole
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pit — in a race

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