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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
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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: row · deal · root · bat · pitcher · charge · coach · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. root — the cause
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. row — a line
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — of a plant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. root — of a word
  16. deal — to handle
  17. face — to confront
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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