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

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. press — to push
  3. track — a path
  4. ground — a position
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cue — a signal
  7. track — a song
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ground — crushed
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cue — a hint
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — music
  18. cue — for pool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. root — the cause
  21. press — a publisher
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — the season
  24. rock — to move gently

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