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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: suit · board · stick · mate · root · trunk · leaves · tear

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a committee
  4. tear — to rip
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — in cards
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. root — the cause
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — to get on
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. root — of a word
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — to breed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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