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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 · saw · rest · root · deal · land · coach · bear

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. root — the cause
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. land — ground
  8. root — of a word
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. land — a country
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — a break
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. deal — a big deal

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