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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: perch · wave · press · fork · temple · mark · nail · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — a grade
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. root — the cause
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. root — of a word
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. temple — a place of worship

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