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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: mouse · coach · spell · fan · drill · bay · bass · root

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bass — the fish
  3. drill — the tool
  4. root — the cause
  5. drill — army training
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — low music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. spell — letters
  13. drill — a practice
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. root — of a plant

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