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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: march · leaves · mug · row · fan · foot · root · pit

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pit — in a race
  3. march — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pit — a hole
  8. row — a line
  9. mug — a face
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. foot — a measure
  12. march — the month
  13. row — to paddle
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. root — the cause
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. foot — part of the body

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