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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. band — a ring
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. root — of a word
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rest — a break
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rest — what's left
  14. band — a music group
  15. staff — employees
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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