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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: land · root · rash · bowl · fan · board · temple · rush

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. root — the cause
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — a committee
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rash — hasty
  13. land — ground
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. land — to come down
  16. root — of a word
  17. land — a country
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. board — to get on
  23. fan — a supporter
  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