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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · suit · land · fork · lean · field · bay · root

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. field — farmland
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. root — of a plant
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fork — in a road
  12. net — after costs
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. net — in sport
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. land — a country
  21. field — for sport
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. field — a subject
  24. net — for catching

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