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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.

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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: cap · can · sharp · board · pound · patient · root · press

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. press — to push
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. root — of a plant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. root — of a word
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pound — a weight
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. board — to get on
  17. cap — a lid
  18. sharp — clever
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — the cause
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pound — to hit hard

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