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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: bowl · suit · straw · firm · stand · bulb · root · court

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a word
  6. firm — steady
  7. court — for sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. firm — a company
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — the cause
  21. firm — decided
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. court — of law
  24. stand — to bear

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