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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.

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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: rash · root · firm · coach · squash · lie · pop · net

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pop — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. squash — to crush
  6. firm — decided
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — to recline
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a plant
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. net — after costs
  17. pop — soda
  18. rash — hasty
  19. root — the cause
  20. net — in sport
  21. squash — the sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pop — to visit

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