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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.

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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: key · root · object · wind · bowl · tube · coach · march

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. key — in music
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. tube — the underground
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. march — the month
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. march — the month
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. object — a thing
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — of a word
  17. object — an aim
  18. key — for a lock
  19. tube — a container
  20. root — the cause
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wind — moving air
  23. march — music
  24. object — to protest

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