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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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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: press · key · bear · dip · rest · pound · rule · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — to sink
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pound — a weight
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rule — a law
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rule — government
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. press — to push

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