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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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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: pit · net · suit · wound · present · root · rush · field

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — hurry
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — in sport
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. field — a subject
  7. pit — a hole
  8. net — for catching
  9. root — of a word
  10. field — for sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. present — there
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — the cause
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — a gift
  19. net — after costs
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — the time now

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