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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: mug · pitcher · face · land · root · cue · press · present

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — to rob
  3. press — a publisher
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — of a word
  6. present — the time now
  7. land — to come down
  8. root — of a plant
  9. land — a country
  10. mug — a face
  11. face — to confront
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. root — the cause
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. present — there
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cue — for pool
  22. face — to point toward
  23. land — ground
  24. pitcher — a jug

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