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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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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: dip · jam · suit · wind · pit · racket · root · rush

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. suit — in cards
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wind — moving air
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wind — moving air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rush — hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — clothes
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — to fit

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