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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.

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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: jam · coach · arm · key · chair · pit · root · hide

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pit — a hole
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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