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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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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: cue · lean · root · coach · chair · firm · cell · swing

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lean — to bend
  3. root — the cause
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — a phone
  10. lean — thin
  11. firm — steady
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — for pool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. swing — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. root — of a word
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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