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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
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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: game · tube · key · firm · date · coach · root · mate

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. key — the most important part
  6. game — a match
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. firm — steady
  9. tube — a container
  10. game — wild animals
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mate — a friend
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. firm — a company
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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