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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 120 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: racket · hide · root · fan · deal · leaves · dip · squash

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. root — of a plant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the sport
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. root — the cause
  24. deal — to handle

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