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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. press — to push
  3. root — of a word
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bank — for money
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mine — for digging
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lean — thin
  19. hand — help
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. press — a publisher

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