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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. press — a publisher
  3. root — of a word
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — the season
  8. net — in sport
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. plane — a tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. root — the cause
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fall — to drop
  16. net — for catching
  17. press — newspapers
  18. net — after costs
  19. fall — to drop
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. branch — a division
  22. root — of a plant
  23. press — to push
  24. firm — steady

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