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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.

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: staff · mine · suit · track · root · kick · ruler · last

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. last — finally
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a path
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — clothes
  10. root — of a plant
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mine — for digging
  13. staff — employees
  14. last — to go on
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. root — of a word
  18. last — final
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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