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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a plant
  5. suit — clothes
  6. key — in music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — the most important part
  10. press — to push
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stem — to come from
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. root — of a word
  24. pitcher — a jug

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