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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 116 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — the cause
  13. key — the most important part
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. root — of a word
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. present — there
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. racket — for tennis

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