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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.

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: fan · rash · root · saw · bay · can · drill · cell

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. root — of a plant
  5. drill — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cell — in biology
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. root — of a word
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. root — the cause
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. drill — army training
  24. cell — a phone

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