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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: coach · track · deal · straw · root · spring · mug · chest

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chest — a box
  3. root — of a plant
  4. spring — of water
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. deal — to handle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. root — of a word
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. spring — the season
  15. chest — of your body
  16. track — a song
  17. chest — of your body
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mug — a face
  23. root — the cause
  24. deal — a big deal

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