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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: rush · squash · rule · stem · plane · root · fall · press

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rule — a law
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. fall — the season
  9. root — of a word
  10. press — newspapers
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. press — to push
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rule — government
  23. plane — in geometry
  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