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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: hand · rush · fan · cell · deal · root · cue · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. root — the cause
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hand — help
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cell — a phone
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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