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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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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: suit · key · cap · foot · coach · root · pound · wind

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wind — moving air
  10. foot — a measure
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. cap — of ice
  14. suit — in cards
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cap — a hat
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — a lid
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a word
  22. key — in music
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pound — a weight

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