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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: staff · wound · net · root · race · press

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. net — for catching
  3. root — of a word
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. press — newspapers
  6. race — a contest
  7. staff — a stick
  8. press — a publisher
  9. staff — employees
  10. net — in sport
  11. race — humankind
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. net — after costs
  15. press — to push
  16. staff — employees
  17. race — the arms race
  18. root — of a plant

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