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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · snap · wound · pitcher · coach · mug · bore · root

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. root — of a word
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mug — to rob
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bore — to drill
  21. snap — to click
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wound — an injury

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