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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: root · suit · toast · rash · staff · mouse · game · sharp

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. toast — bread
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — the cause
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. game — a match
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. root — of a plant
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rash — hasty
  13. staff — employees
  14. sharp — clever
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — in cards
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rash — a series
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. root — of a word
  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