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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. court — of law
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rash — a series
  9. court — of a king
  10. root — the cause
  11. press — to push
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. court — for sport
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. root — of a word

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