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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: coach · kick · root · hide · arm · stick · cabinet · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. suit — to fit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a word
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. root — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — the cause
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — in football
  24. arm — part of the body

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