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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. band — a music group
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. root — the cause
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. root — of a plant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. race — humankind
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. root — of a word
  18. press — to push
  19. race — a contest
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. band — a ring
  22. scale — in music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. race — the arms race

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