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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 · spring · firm · straw · root · charge · object · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. root — of a word
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. spring — a coil
  4. firm — a company
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. firm — decided
  17. spring — of water
  18. charge — electricity
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. charge — a price
  21. spring — the season
  22. object — to protest
  23. root — the cause
  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