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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.

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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: bay · saw · club · fan · root · game · cabinet · pop

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pop — soda
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. game — a match
  9. saw — the tool
  10. root — the cause
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. club — a group
  22. root — of a word
  23. club — for golf
  24. fan — a supporter

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