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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: suit · snap · rush · root · bat · fan · fall · craft

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fall — to drop
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. suit — to fit
  7. craft — boats
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — the cause
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. snap — to click
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rush — hurry
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. root — of a word
  18. bat — the animal
  19. fall — the season
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rush — to hurry

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