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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: lean · net · cue · root · suit · stick · tube · wound

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lean — thin
  5. tube — a container
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. net — in sport
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — for catching
  16. wound — an injury
  17. root — the cause
  18. net — after costs
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. root — of a word
  24. lean — to bend

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