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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: perch · root · stock · stand · suit · tube · kick · ground

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. root — of a plant
  3. kick — in football
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ground — crushed
  7. tube — a container
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — the cause
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. root — of a word
  24. suit — clothes

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