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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: cell · stock · chest · press · staff · root · ruler · pass

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — a permit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. press — a publisher
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — of a word
  11. stock — goods
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cell — in biology
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stock — shares
  18. chest — a box
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  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