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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 116 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: lean · mark · pit · wake · root · staff · sharp · suit

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lean — thin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. suit — clothes
  11. root — of a word
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — a trail
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. root — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. sharp — clever
  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