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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: saw · suit · hand · roll · root · press · mark · present

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. roll — a list
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — a gift
  5. hand — in cards
  6. present — there
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — the cause
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. hand — help
  18. root — of a word
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. present — the time now

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