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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 120 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: pitcher · root · spring · suit · stand · nail · rest · stick

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rest — a break
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spring — of water
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. spring — a coil
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a word
  12. spring — the season
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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