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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: fan · root · rush · pit · pitcher · bound · coach · bay

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. root — of a word
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bound — certain
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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