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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. root — of a word
  3. press — to push
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lean — to bend
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cap — of ice
  9. present — the time now
  10. cap — a hat
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — of a plant
  13. tube — a container
  14. present — a gift
  15. root — the cause
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. lean — thin
  19. cap — a lid
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. present — there
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. press — a publisher

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