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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: sharp · suit · roll · root · mark · jam · pit · leaves

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. suit — to fit
  3. root — the cause
  4. roll — a list
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. root — of a word
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pit — a hole
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. root — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mark — a grade
  18. suit — clothes
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pit — in a race
  24. leaves — to go away

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