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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — hasty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. row — a line
  7. cell — a phone
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rash — a series
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ground — crushed
  16. row — to paddle
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. root — of a word
  23. press — to push
  24. ground — a position

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