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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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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: press · prune · race · deal · pit · bulb · key · root

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pit — in a race
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. key — the most important part
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — a hole
  18. root — the cause
  19. race — the arms race
  20. root — of a word
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bulb — for light

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