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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: root · press · fall · bulb · season · nail · rush · file

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — to push
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. file — a document
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. season — in sport
  9. press — newspapers
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rush — hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. season — of the year
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a tool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. press — a publisher
  24. root — of a word

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