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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: fork · rule · bore · date · press · cap · mug · root

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. root — of a word
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bore — to drill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rule — a law
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mug — a cup
  18. root — the cause
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. date — the fruit
  21. press — to push
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — a face

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