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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: root · press · coach · deal · toast · last · scale · wound

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. root — the cause
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. root — of a word
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. root — of a plant
  12. toast — bread
  13. scale — in music
  14. last — final
  15. wound — an injury
  16. scale — size or range
  17. deal — to handle
  18. press — to push
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. last — finally
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. last — to go on

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