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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — newspapers
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. root — of a word
  5. track — a song
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. press — to push
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rash — a series
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — a publisher
  13. date — the fruit
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — to keep track
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — to drill
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — hasty
  23. shower — rain
  24. track — a path

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