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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: kick · deal · mouse · root · press · plane · wake · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ground — crushed
  5. root — of a plant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. press — newspapers
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. press — to push
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. wake — a trail
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. plane — in geometry

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