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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: firm · race · last · bear · press · root · bay · stick

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — final
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. race — a contest
  13. bear — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. root — of a plant
  16. race — humankind
  17. last — to go on
  18. press — newspapers
  19. root — of a word
  20. press — to push
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — the arms race
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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