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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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468
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: press · root · nail · court · object · pass · bulb · fork

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — a thing
  3. root — the cause
  4. bulb — for light
  5. court — of law
  6. root — of a word
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. pass — a permit
  15. press — to push
  16. object — an aim
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. press — newspapers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. court — of a king
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bulb — for light

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