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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: root · press · clip · bark · race · ball · stick · arm

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. root — the cause
  4. clip — to cut
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. press — to push
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. race — a contest
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. clip — a video
  19. race — the arms race
  20. press — a publisher
  21. root — of a word
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. race — humankind
  24. arm — 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