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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 · field · cabinet · root · ball · net · rash · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — of a word
  4. field — farmland
  5. root — the cause
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — in sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. field — for sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. ball — a dance
  18. field — a subject
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rash — hasty
  24. suit — in cards

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