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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: trunk · rash · root · last · press · roll · plane · current

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. root — of a word
  8. current — of water
  9. press — newspapers
  10. root — of a plant
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. roll — a cake
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. roll — a list
  20. current — electric
  21. last — finally
  22. root — the cause
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — in geometry

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