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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · trunk · suit · club · saw · press · root · present

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spell — magic
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. club — for dancing
  8. root — of a word
  9. club — for golf
  10. present — there
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. club — a group
  13. press — to push
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. spell — a short time
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. present — a gift
  20. root — the cause
  21. spell — letters
  22. present — the time now
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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