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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: coach · root · racket · key · cell · object · pop · shower

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. key — in music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. object — to protest
  6. shower — to wash
  7. object — a thing
  8. pop — to visit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — an aim
  11. cell — in biology
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. shower — rain
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pop — music
  21. cell — a phone
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — the cause
  24. pop — soda

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