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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: snap · prune · fan · stand · foot · shower · root · press

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — to bear
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. root — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. snap — to click
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. foot — a measure
  13. root — the cause
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. prune — to trim
  16. root — of a word
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. press — a publisher
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. press — to push
  24. foot — part of the body

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