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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: coach · root · arm · net · pitcher · fall · swing · calf

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. swing — to play on
  7. net — after costs
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fall — the season
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. net — for catching
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — of a word
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. fall — to drop
  19. net — in sport
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fall — to drop
  24. swing — music

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