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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.

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: root · mate · press · spell · land · pit · lie · march

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. press — to push
  3. root — of a plant
  4. press — newspapers
  5. march — the month
  6. root — of a word
  7. land — a country
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spell — letters
  11. march — the month
  12. land — to come down
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. march — music
  24. land — ground

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