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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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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: wave · cap · racket · craft · fan · pop · drill · root

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. root — of a plant
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pop — soda
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — boats
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. root — of a word
  19. drill — army training
  20. pop — to visit
  21. root — the cause
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pop — music

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