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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: pitcher · spring · fan · date · object · pass · dip · root

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — a thing
  3. spring — the season
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. root — of a plant
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. root — the cause
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. root — of a word
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — an aim
  18. pass — a permit
  19. spring — a coil
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. date — the fruit
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spring — of water

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