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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
468
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: coach · stick · suit · key · press · land · root · date

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. date — the fruit
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. key — the most important part
  12. suit — clothes
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. land — to come down
  16. press — a publisher
  17. key — for a lock
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. land — a country
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. key — in music
  23. root — the cause
  24. suit — to fit

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