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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: stand · pit · race · object · bulb · root · content · suit

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pit — in a race
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a hole
  11. root — the cause
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. root — of a plant
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. root — of a word
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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