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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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468
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 · bay · stem · chip · fan · wake · lean · root

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lean — thin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stem — to come from

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