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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 · track · bass · mine · deal · chair · press · cue

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cue — a signal
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — a hint
  14. root — the cause
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. press — a publisher
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. press — to push
  21. track — a path
  22. bass — the fish
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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