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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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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 · pit · deal · root · date · court · bore · roll

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. roll — a cake
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. suit — clothes
  6. roll — a list
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. deal — to handle
  14. court — for sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. root — of a plant

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