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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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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: kid · root · object · last · coach · bank · date · fork

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — to protest
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fork — in a road
  12. date — the fruit
  13. last — finally
  14. last — final
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. last — to go on
  18. kid — to tease
  19. root — of a word
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — the cause
  22. bank — for money
  23. kid — child
  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