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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: racket · coach · hand · scale · saw · press · fall · root

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fall — to drop
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. scale — size or range
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. scale — in music
  13. press — to push
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. press — a publisher
  16. saw — the tool
  17. hand — help
  18. press — newspapers
  19. hand — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — a trainer

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