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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.

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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: mouse · firm · pop · wake · coach · press · dip · pound

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. dip — to sink
  3. firm — decided
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. press — to push
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mouse — the animal

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