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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.

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 · root · coach · leaves · season · pitch · hand · kick

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — of a plant
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. kick — in football
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. season — in sport
  13. hand — help
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. root — of a word
  19. pitch — completely
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — the cause

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