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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: land · bowl · saw · capital · fan · craft · root · mug

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. saw — the tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. land — a country
  14. craft — a skill
  15. capital — money
  16. land — ground
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. capital — a city
  19. craft — boats
  20. mug — a face
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. root — the cause
  23. land — to come down
  24. saw — the tool

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