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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: last · tube · row · key · pitcher · press · root · rock

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. last — finally
  3. tube — a container
  4. rock — a stone
  5. key — for a lock
  6. last — final
  7. key — the most important part
  8. last — to go on
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. press — newspapers
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. key — in music
  16. rock — music
  17. tube — the underground
  18. root — of a plant
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tube — in a tire

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