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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
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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 · stick · lash · bark · patient · pop · press · band

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. press — a publisher
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. band — a music group
  10. pop — soda
  11. press — to push
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. root — of a word
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. root — the cause
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bark — to shout
  24. root — of a plant

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