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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: tube · rest · deal · pit · root · pop · coach · board

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. deal — to handle
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. root — of a word
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. tube — a container
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — to visit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pop — soda
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pit — in a race
  16. board — a committee
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pop — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. root — the cause
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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