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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.

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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: chair · march · coach · bay · root · dip · deal · ball

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. root — of a word
  3. march — music
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. root — the cause
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ball — a dance
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. march — the month
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a plant
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bay — a horse colour

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