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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · toast · root · degree · hide · staff · press · season

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. root — of a plant
  5. staff — employees
  6. season — in sport
  7. degree — temperature
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. degree — from a university
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. press — a publisher
  13. root — of a word
  14. saw — the tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. staff — a stick
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — the cause
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. press — to push
  24. degree — an amount

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