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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
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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: bass · root · chest · lean · suit · game · staff · pit

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. root — of a plant
  3. chest — of your body
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. game — a match
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — the cause
  18. chest — of your body
  19. root — of a word
  20. staff — employees
  21. chest — a box
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — thin
  24. game — wild animals

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