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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 116 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
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: rush · bear · coach · mug · spring · root · net · pit

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pit — a hole
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mug — to rob
  6. net — in sport
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mug — a face
  10. spring — the season
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. net — for catching
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — after costs
  24. spring — a coil

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