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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. suit — clothes
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — a measure
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. coach — a trainer

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