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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.

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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 · shower · root · rock · fork · staff · stand · pitch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. staff — a stick
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fork — in a road
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. shower — rain
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rock — music
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. root — of a word
  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