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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. root — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. root — of a word
  8. net — after costs
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — for money
  11. net — for catching
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. net — in sport
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. file — a document
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — the cause
  21. fall — the season
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pop — music

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