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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: chair · arm · cap · root · ball · coach · rush · present

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — there
  5. root — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cap — of ice
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. present — a gift
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chair — a leader
  18. root — of a word
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ball — a great time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — the time now

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