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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: chair · squash · foot · stand · root · row · suit · roll

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. root — of a word
  3. roll — a list
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — in cards
  9. row — a line
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — clothes
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. root — the cause
  16. chair — a leader
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. root — of a plant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. row — to paddle
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stand — to bear

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