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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · land · stick · press · nail · game · suit · wake

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — to push
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a match
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. land — to come down
  9. press — newspapers
  10. root — of a word
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wake — a trail
  19. game — wild animals
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — a publisher
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. nail — for a hammer

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