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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.

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: coach · fan · plane · band · deal · root · mouse · stem

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. deal — to handle
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. root — the cause
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. root — of a word
  24. stem — of a plant

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