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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 120 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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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: press · bulb · wake · pound · fork · root · net · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. net — for catching
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. root — the cause
  22. press — to push
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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