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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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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: mug · root · race · press · bank · temple · bat · ground

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — a contest
  5. ground — a position
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bat — the animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bank — for money
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. root — of a plant
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. ground — the earth
  22. race — humankind
  23. root — the cause
  24. ground — crushed

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