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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 116 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: key · root · tear · coach · bowl · pitcher · racket · lie

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. root — the cause
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — to recline
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. tear — from crying
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — of a word

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