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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · march · roll · leaves · club · press · root · firm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. firm — steady
  5. march — the month
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. march — music
  9. firm — decided
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. club — for golf
  12. press — to push
  13. bat — the animal
  14. club — for dancing
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. march — the month
  19. root — of a word
  20. press — a publisher
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — a company
  23. roll — a list
  24. club — a group

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