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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: net · object · root · date · cap · fork · toast · fan

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — the cause
  4. cap — a lid
  5. net — after costs
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. root — of a plant
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a word
  12. object — to protest
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — a thing
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. object — an aim
  17. net — for catching
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. cap — a hat
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. net — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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