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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: stand · lie · root · sharp · tear · board · roll · suit

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. roll — a list
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — to bear
  13. board — a committee
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — to get on
  17. tear — to rip
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. roll — a cake
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. tear — from crying
  24. stand — for spectators

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