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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 116 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. root — of a plant
  3. press — newspapers
  4. swing — music
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chip — for betting
  10. root — the cause
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. root — of a word
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. squash — the sport
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — to push
  24. chair — to sit on

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