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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — a company
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — soda
  13. root — of a word
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — decided
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. root — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — to push
  24. root — the cause

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