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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: wake · bowl · bay · band · pass · root · content · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. band — a music group
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wake — a trail
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — happy
  14. band — a ring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. content — the amount
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pass — a permit

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