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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 · last · cue · dip · trunk · mug · cabinet · press

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mug — to rob
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mug — a face
  7. cue — a hint
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. root — of a word
  12. press — to push
  13. root — the cause
  14. cue — for pool
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. root — of a plant
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mug — a cup
  23. last — to go on
  24. press — newspapers

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