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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: roll · wave · saw · cue · suit · coach · stand · root

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. saw — the tool
  5. root — of a word
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. roll — a list
  8. cue — a signal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — for pool
  24. root — of a plant

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