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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 124 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — to come from
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. press — to push
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — to point toward
  11. root — of a plant
  12. net — after costs
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pit — a hole
  15. face — to confront
  16. net — for catching
  17. key — for a lock
  18. press — newspapers
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. root — of a word
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stem — of a plant

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