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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. suit — in cards
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. root — of a plant
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. press — to push
  8. root — of a word
  9. spring — of water
  10. roll — a list
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. suit — to fit
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cue — a hint
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — clothes

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