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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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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: pass · stick · press · club · rock · root · craft · chest

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. root — of a word
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a plant
  6. craft — boats
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. chest — of your body
  11. club — for golf
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — a stone
  14. club — for dancing
  15. press — a publisher
  16. chest — a box
  17. club — a group
  18. pass — a permit
  19. root — the cause
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. press — newspapers
  24. craft — a handicraft

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