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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: wind · fan · rush · root · firm · mug · bank · coach

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bank — of a river
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — a company
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mug — a cup
  12. root — of a word
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mug — a face
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wind — moving air
  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