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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: saw · root · lie · toast · court · spell · ground · suit

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — the cause
  4. suit — to fit
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. spell — a short time
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ground — a position
  11. saw — the tool
  12. court — for sport
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. spell — magic
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. court — of a king
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lie — to recline
  23. spell — letters
  24. toast — bread

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