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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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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: stand · press · fall · bulb · mark · snap · root · current

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. snap — to click
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. press — to push
  11. current — of water
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — happening now
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fall — to drop
  18. root — the cause
  19. current — electric
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fall — the season
  22. mark — a trace
  23. root — of a word
  24. press — newspapers

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