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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 116 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: bay · fine · root · pop · bowl · fan · straw · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rest — a break
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. root — of a plant
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fine — all right
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. root — the cause
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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