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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 120 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: coach · pop · band · press · mouse · root · pound · ball

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. root — of a word
  7. pop — to visit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. band — a music group
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pop — soda
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pop — music
  20. press — to push
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. root — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. root — the cause

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