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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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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 · spring · deal · clip · hand · firm · suit · rest

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. clip — for paper
  6. spring — the season
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. clip — to cut
  10. hand — help
  11. root — the cause
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — of water
  14. rest — a break
  15. clip — a video
  16. firm — decided
  17. rest — what's left
  18. firm — a company
  19. hand — in cards
  20. root — of a word
  21. deal — to handle
  22. spring — a coil
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rest — what's left

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