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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. root — the cause
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. swing — to play on
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chest — a box
  11. bank — for money
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. swing — in golf
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bass — low music
  19. chest — of your body
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. root — of a word
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. swing — music

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