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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.

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: pitcher · charge · coach · fork · spring · wind · root · cabinet

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. charge — in control
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. charge — electricity
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. charge — a price
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. root — of a word
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. spring — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spring — of water

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