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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · present · cabinet · press · root · coach · staff · mate

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. staff — employees
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. root — of a plant
  8. march — music
  9. root — of a word
  10. present — there
  11. march — the month
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. press — newspapers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. present — a gift
  20. mate — a friend
  21. root — the cause
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. present — the time now
  24. press — to push

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