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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: bass · suit · march · pit · rest · hide · content · root

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. root — of a word
  6. rest — a break
  7. content — the amount
  8. march — the month
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — of a plant
  11. content — happy
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — the cause
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pit — a hole
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. suit — in cards

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