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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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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: object · press · rest · scale · root · chip · racket · craft

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. 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. racket — for tennis
  2. press — a publisher
  3. scale — in music
  4. root — the cause
  5. object — an aim
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. object — a thing
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — boats
  11. rest — a break
  12. root — of a word
  13. press — to push
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — size or range
  17. craft — a skill
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chip — for betting
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. object — to protest
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. 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