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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. press — to push
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. field — for sport
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pass — a permit
  12. press — a publisher
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stand — to bear
  16. field — a subject
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — farmland
  21. track — a path
  22. root — of a word
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. press — newspapers

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