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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: root · suit · lie · dip · march · pit · rock · game

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. root — of a word
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. march — the month
  7. game — a match
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rock — music
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. march — the month
  19. lie — to recline
  20. march — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. root — the cause

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