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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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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: bowl · fall · rash · deal · fan · bay · firm · root

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. firm — steady
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — decided
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fall — the season
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — a company
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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