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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 · press · bay · wound · cabinet · sharp · pitch · wake

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. root — the cause
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. root — of a word
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. press — to push
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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