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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 116 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
468
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: ball · suit · fan · lash · ground · game · root · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. suit — in cards
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. game — a match
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a great time

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