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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
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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: fan · staff · rush · patient · track · jam · root · pitcher

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. staff — employees
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — the cause
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. track — to keep track
  11. root — of a plant
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. track — a path
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. staff — a stick
  24. root — of a word

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