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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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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: chair · root · club · suit · squash · fall · roll · pitch

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — the cause
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. root — of a word
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fall — the season
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. squash — to crush
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. suit — to fit
  14. roll — a list
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. club — a group
  17. root — of a plant
  18. club — for golf
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. squash — the sport

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