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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — in sport
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. root — of a word
  7. spell — magic
  8. wake — a trail
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. root — the cause
  12. staff — employees
  13. net — for catching
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. staff — employees
  17. spell — a short time
  18. net — after costs
  19. staff — a stick
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. spell — letters
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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