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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: fan · mark · chip · root · season · tube · deal · bay

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. season — in sport
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mark — a trace
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — a container
  20. chip — for betting
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — to eat
  24. season — of the year

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