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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: root · pound · cap · rush · wind · pit · suit · staff

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pit — in a race
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rush — hurry
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. cap — a lid
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wind — moving air
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pound — a weight

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