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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. firm — steady
  4. root — of a plant
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. firm — decided
  11. root — the cause
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. root — of a word
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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