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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — to push
  3. root — of a plant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. press — a publisher
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lie — to recline
  8. shower — rain
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. object — a thing
  12. press — newspapers
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — to protest
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. row — a line
  18. root — of a word
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. shower — to wash
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — an aim

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