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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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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: saw · plane · coach · pit · deal · root · racket · lean

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pit — a hole
  4. saw — the tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. root — of a word
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pit — in a race
  22. racket — a loud noise
  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