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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. staff — employees
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — a trail
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. press — to push
  16. staff — a stick
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. root — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. scale — in music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. scale — size or range

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