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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: date · fan · jam · craft · foot · root · rash · board

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. board — to get on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. root — of a plant
  8. board — a committee
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. root — the cause
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. date — the fruit
  15. craft — boats
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. root — of a word
  19. rash — hasty
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. craft — a skill
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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