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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: root · fan · cap · arm · bowl · fine · rush · pop

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pop — soda
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fine — all right
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. root — of a plant

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