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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: arm · roll · ball · fork · mine · root · lean · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. root — the cause
  6. roll — a cake
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. root — of a word
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. roll — a list
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. roll — on a roll

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