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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. press — a publisher
  3. roll — a list
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — the cause
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. press — newspapers
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. roll — a cake
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bore — to tire
  20. press — to push
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — a tool

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