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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: press · key · firm · sharp · root · clip · fall · bass

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. root — of a plant
  3. press — to push
  4. fall — to drop
  5. firm — steady
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. press — newspapers
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bass — the fish
  11. key — in music
  12. root — the cause
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. press — a publisher
  15. firm — decided
  16. key — for a lock
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. firm — a company
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bass — low music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. fall — to drop
  23. root — of a word
  24. clip — a video

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