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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — a trace
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. present — there
  10. press — to push
  11. present — a gift
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — of a word
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — a publisher
  17. present — the time now
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — to wash
  23. root — of a plant
  24. leaves — of a tree

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