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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: club · root · coach · object · fork · safe · fan · game

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. game — a match
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. root — of a word
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. root — the cause
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — an aim
  17. root — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. club — for golf

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