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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
468
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: spell · bass · kid · saw · can · root · coach · stand

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. spell — magic
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. can — to be able to
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. saw — the tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a word
  15. spell — letters
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. spell — a short time
  18. root — the cause
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kid — child
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. can — a tin
  23. bass — low music
  24. can — a tin

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