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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: mark · pop · pitcher · wake · press · root · saw · ground

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ground — a position
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. root — the cause
  6. pop — soda
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pop — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — a grade
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — to push
  22. root — of a word
  23. wake — a trail
  24. ground — crushed

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