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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — to push
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. chair — a leader
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lean — thin
  9. root — of a word
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. file — a document
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — a publisher
  20. lean — to bend
  21. root — of a plant
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — to tire
  24. root — the cause

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