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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. root — of a plant
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. press — to push
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. press — newspapers
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — for betting
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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