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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rush — hurry
  5. root — of a word
  6. degree — temperature
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. root — of a plant
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bound — certain
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. degree — an amount
  13. root — the cause
  14. net — for catching
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bound — tied together
  17. net — in sport
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. net — after costs
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stand — on your feet
  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