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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 · root · fine · mouse · kid · game · suit · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. root — the cause
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — clothes
  7. kid — to tease
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. root — of a word
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. kid — child
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. game — a match

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