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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 120 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: row · bay · stick · season · bark · press · pass · root

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. season — of the year
  5. press — to push
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. root — of a word
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — to shout
  16. season — in sport
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. press — newspapers

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