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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. suit — in cards
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — the fish
  16. dip — to sink
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. suit — clothes
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — to fit
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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