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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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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: rash · jam · coach · fall · root · game · lean · cue

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. fall — to drop
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. root — of a word
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lean — to bend
  15. root — the cause
  16. game — wild animals
  17. rash — hasty
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. game — a match
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. cue — a hint

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