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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 120 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: pop · rush · bound · press · bulb · root · bore · temple

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bound — certain
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pop — soda
  16. press — to push
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. root — the cause
  21. bore — to drill
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — music
  24. bulb — for light

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