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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. snap — to click
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. toast — bread
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pound — a weight
  13. press — a publisher
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. root — the cause
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ground — the earth
  24. press — to push

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