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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pop — soda
  4. press — to push
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. root — of a word
  9. pop — to visit
  10. squash — the sport
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. squash — to crush
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. root — of a plant

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