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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: saw · row · root · bound · press · wound · leaves · lean

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. press — a publisher
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — of a word
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bound — tied together
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bound — certain
  10. row — to paddle
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. row — a line
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bound — obliged
  19. press — to push
  20. root — the cause
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lean — to bend
  23. saw — the tool
  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