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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 116 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: pit · stand · wind · coach · deal · face · root · suit

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — to bear
  4. suit — to fit
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pit — a hole
  11. face — to confront
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. root — the cause
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — of a word
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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