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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: straw · spell · root · pitch · can · band · coach · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. band — a music group
  8. root — of a plant
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pitch — completely
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — the cause
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. can — a tin
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — to be able to

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