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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 the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. key — in music
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. key — for a lock
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — obliged
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bound — certain
  24. fall — to drop

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