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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: root · can · kid · march · file · suit · coach · rock

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. suit — in cards
  3. march — music
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. kid — to tease
  12. root — of a plant
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a word
  15. file — a document
  16. can — to be able to
  17. file — a line of people
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. root — the cause
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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