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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 · dip · suit · hand · ground · jam · mate · press

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. root — the cause
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. root — of a word
  7. ground — the earth
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mate — a partner
  12. suit — in cards
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ground — a position
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — clothes
  19. root — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hand — help
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ground — crushed
  24. hand — in cards

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