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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: press · key · root · season · bulb · cap · rash · patient

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — the cause
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — to push
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — for a lock
  14. season — of the year
  15. rash — a series
  16. cap — a lid
  17. press — a publisher
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cap — a hat
  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