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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 · racket · rock · chair · wave · coach · lie · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. press — to push
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. press — a publisher
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. root — of a word
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chair — a leader
  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