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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. shower — to wash
  3. root — the cause
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cell — in biology
  7. press — to push
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. land — to come down
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bass — the fish
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. land — a country
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. vault — a safe
  17. shower — rain
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. root — of a word
  21. land — ground
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bass — low music

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