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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. press — a publisher
  3. game — a match
  4. swing — music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. can — to be able to
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. root — of a word
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — wild animals
  21. swing — in golf
  22. press — to push
  23. root — of a plant
  24. branch — a division

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