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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rule — government
  7. press — to push
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — a law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — wild animals
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. tube — a container
  20. root — of a word
  21. bank — of a river
  22. root — the cause
  23. can — to be able to
  24. tube — the underground

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