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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: press · lie · root · calf · bound · rock · cell · prune

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. root — of a word
  3. cell — in biology
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — the cause
  7. press — a publisher
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cell — a phone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — of a plant
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bound — tied together
  14. press — to push
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bound — certain

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