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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: pitcher · root · rest · object · coach · clip · board · file

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. clip — a video
  4. rest — a break
  5. clip — to cut
  6. board — to get on
  7. file — a line of people
  8. clip — for paper
  9. file — a document
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — a committee
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. file — a tool
  17. object — an aim
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. root — the cause
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. coach — a trainer

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