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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: leaves · club · game · bear · root · tube · suit · rest

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — in cards
  3. root — the cause
  4. game — a match
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. root — of a plant
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. rest — what's left
  18. tube — a container
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. club — for golf
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. leaves — lets stay

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