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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 120 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: snap · prune · coach · spring · pitcher · chip · mark · root

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. spring — a coil
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spring — of water
  6. chip — for betting
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mark — a trace
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — the cause
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. spring — the season
  20. mark — a grade
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to click
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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