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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: board · press · mug · mine · calf · prune · ground · root

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. root — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. root — the cause
  13. mug — a face
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. board — to get on
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mine — for digging
  22. prune — to trim
  23. root — of a word
  24. prune — to trim

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