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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. root — of a word
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rule — government
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — the cause
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — a law
  12. object — to protest
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — a thing
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. object — an aim
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cap — a lid
  22. swing — in golf
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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