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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — decided
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — steady
  16. root — the cause
  17. bound — certain
  18. firm — a company
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. kid — to tease
  22. file — a tool
  23. kid — child
  24. bound — obliged

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