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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bank — for money
  4. game — a match
  5. root — of a plant
  6. press — newspapers
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — to push
  15. bass — the fish
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bass — low music
  20. ground — a position
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. game — a kind of play

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