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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: bark · kid · key · root · firm · capital · coach · fan

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. firm — decided
  5. capital — a city
  6. firm — a company
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. capital — money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — of a word
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. kid — child
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — in music
  18. root — the cause
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. firm — steady
  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