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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. root — the cause
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fork — in a road
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — of a word
  21. mate — a partner
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. shower — rain
  24. press — newspapers

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