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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: race · rock · press · lie · foot · mug · bat · root

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. race — the arms race
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rock — a stone
  5. root — of a word
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — a face
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bat — the animal
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mug — a cup
  15. race — a contest
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. root — the cause
  20. mug — to rob
  21. race — humankind
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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