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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: game · mark · roll · present · root · kick · suit · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. present — the time now
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. game — wild animals
  16. present — there
  17. suit — to fit
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bear — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. game — a match

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