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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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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. craft — boats
  5. bank — for money
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — the cause
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. content — happy
  14. game — a match
  15. bank — of a river
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. game — wild animals
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rock — music
  22. root — of a plant
  23. content — the amount
  24. game — a kind of play

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