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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. shower — to wash
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. court — for sport
  6. firm — decided
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — steady
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — newspapers
  14. root — the cause
  15. shower — rain
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — of a word
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — of law
  23. press — a publisher
  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