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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pop — soda
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — to push
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — a publisher
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. root — the cause
  12. game — a match
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a word
  15. press — newspapers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — wild animals
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — music

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