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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: suit · land · temple · bear · rock · root · leaves · racket

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. land — to come down
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — in cards
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. root — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — a stone

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