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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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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: root · press · pitch · mark · wake · rock · bark · stand

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — a publisher
  3. root — the cause
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rock — music
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wake — a trail
  19. press — to push
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — before a funeral

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