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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: bay · wave · press · root · bear · sharp · wound · mate

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — the cause
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mate — a friend
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. press — to push
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — with an edge

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