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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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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 · root · safe · fall · tear · land · pit · rest

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fall — to drop
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. root — the cause
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — clothes
  13. land — ground
  14. tear — to rip
  15. land — to come down
  16. rest — what's left
  17. land — a country
  18. tear — from crying
  19. fall — to drop
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fall — the season
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — in a race

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