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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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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: stand · suit · band · fork · snap · root · bore · racket

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a word
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. bore — to drill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. band — a music group
  16. fork — in a road
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. band — a ring
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. root — the cause
  24. racket — a loud noise

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