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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 120 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: pop · cap · wake · pass · mug · press · wave · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. 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. root — of a word
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pop — music
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a plant
  9. press — to push
  10. pop — soda
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — the cause
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — a face
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — to visit
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mug — a cup
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wake — a trail
  24. 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