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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: wave · root · coach · stand · pop · cap · toast · tube

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pop — to visit
  6. toast — bread
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cap — of ice
  12. tube — a container
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pop — music
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pop — soda
  18. root — the cause
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. root — of a word
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — with your hand

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