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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. root — of a plant
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. press — a publisher
  5. root — the cause
  6. rash — hasty
  7. press — newspapers
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — of a word
  12. bark — to shout
  13. press — to push
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mug — to rob
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mug — a face
  23. rash — a series
  24. mug — a cup

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