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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: fan · pop · root · dip · bound · rush · craft · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. craft — a skill
  8. root — of a word
  9. rush — hurry
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — a subject
  13. dip — to sink
  14. craft — boats
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. field — for sport
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. root — the cause
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pop — soda

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