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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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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: bore · field · ruler · fall · root · sharp · bear · press

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. field — a subject
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fall — to drop
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fall — the season
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. press — a publisher
  21. sharp — clever
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. press — to push

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