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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · toast · fan · bat · pass · chest · root · suit

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chest — a box
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. toast — bread
  15. bat — the animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. chest — of your body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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