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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 · deal · bay · pass · chip · bulb · prune

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — for betting
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pass — a permit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. press — to push
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. root — the cause
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  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