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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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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 · tear · race · root · patient · rush · object · bay

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. race — humankind
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — a contest
  11. press — to push
  12. race — the arms race
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — an aim
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tear — to rip
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. object — to protest
  22. root — of a plant
  23. object — a thing
  24. rush — hurry

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