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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: track · root · straw · plane · dip · march · suit · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — a tool
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. root — of a word
  6. track — a song
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. dip — to sink
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — to keep track
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. march — the month
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. plane — in geometry

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