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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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · ball · coach · board · rest · pitcher · can · root

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — of a word
  4. snap — to click
  5. ball — a dance
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rest — what's left
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — a break
  19. root — the cause
  20. board — a committee
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. board — to get on

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