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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. last — finally
  5. root — of a word
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stock — goods
  8. saw — the tool
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wake — a trail
  13. root — the cause
  14. game — wild animals
  15. saw — the tool
  16. game — a match
  17. last — final
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. press — to push
  20. stock — shares
  21. press — a publisher
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. last — to go on

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