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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. press — to push
  9. staff — a stick
  10. press — newspapers
  11. root — of a word
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. roll — a cake
  18. staff — employees
  19. root — of a plant
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — a trail
  24. press — a publisher

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