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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: fall · root · present · pass · coach · swing · pit · spell

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. spell — magic
  11. swing — music
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. present — there
  16. fall — the season
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spell — letters
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — the cause
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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