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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.

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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: ball · sharp · saw · can · coach · deal · bulb · root

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. root — the cause
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. can — to be able to
  14. deal — to handle
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a word
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. saw — the tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. root — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — a big deal

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