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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: lash · pound · root · scale · press · racket · wax · staff

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. press — to push
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — of a word
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. scale — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — newspapers
  24. scale — size or range

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