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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
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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: fan · temple · rush · pass · root · field · cue · race

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. field — farmland
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. race — a contest
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — humankind
  13. field — a subject
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. cue — for pool
  17. race — the arms race
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. field — for sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pass — to succeed

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