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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: roll · mug · toast · suit · root · fork · fall · march

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fork — in a road
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mug — a face
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. root — of a word
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — in cards
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — a cup
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — bread
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. roll — a cake
  22. march — music
  23. roll — a list
  24. fall — the season

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