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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.

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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: fall · board · stand · saw · patient · fan · wave · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. root — of a plant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fall — to drop
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. root — the cause
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. board — a committee
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fall — the season
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. board — to get on
  22. fall — to drop
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — to cool the air

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