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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: suit · root · rule · bowl · ground · stand · clip · rash

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rash — hasty
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ground — a position
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — clothes
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rule — government
  19. rash — a series
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — a law
  22. root — of a plant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ground — crushed

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