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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: suit · last · dip · kick · fine · root · hand · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. hand — help
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. last — final
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rock — a stone
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hand — in cards
  15. last — finally
  16. kick — in football
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. last — to go on
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — all right
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rock — to move gently

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