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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · stick · squash · wound · clip · root · leaves · rash

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. clip — to cut
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. root — of a word
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rash — hasty
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — to fit
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. clip — a video
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. squash — to crush
  18. root — the cause
  19. rash — a series
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — in cards
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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