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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.

Words on the sheet
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: foot · root · fine · rock · file · suit · bowl · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. root — the cause
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. root — of a word
  24. jam — a tight spot

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