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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: press · coach · lie · wound · rock · cap

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — a publisher
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — a hat

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