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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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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: cold · bank · pass · firm · fan · rest · root · can

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — decided
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — of a word
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — steady
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cold — not warm
  15. firm — a company
  16. root — the cause
  17. cold — an illness
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. rest — a break
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bank — of a river

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