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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: bear · root · press · suit · game · face · cue · drill

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to confront
  7. game — wild animals
  8. face — to point toward
  9. press — to push
  10. root — of a plant
  11. face — part of the head
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. game — a match
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cue — a hint
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cue — for pool
  21. drill — army training
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cue — a signal
  24. game — a kind of play

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