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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: craft · fine · stick · bat · root · roll · bear · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — all right
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bat — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. root — the cause
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. roll — a list

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