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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
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: chair · fall · fine · net · season · root · rash · dip

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. root — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rash — a series
  10. fall — the season
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. season — in sport
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fine — all right
  19. net — after costs
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chair — a professorship

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