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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: wind · pass · bulb · press · bowl · leaves · ground · root

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. root — of a word
  6. press — newspapers
  7. root — the cause
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. press — to push
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ground — a position
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wind — moving air
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. press — a publisher

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