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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · cold · root · press · suit · game

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cold — not warm
  5. root — of a plant
  6. game — wild animals
  7. press — to push
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — to fit
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — in cards

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