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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
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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 · lie · pop · perch · squash · court · pit · root

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pop — soda
  6. pit — a hole
  7. court — of a king
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pop — to visit
  10. court — of law
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pop — music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. root — of a word
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. court — for sport
  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