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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bass · hand · kid · root · last · suit · mug · fall

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. hand — in cards
  3. kid — child
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — low music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. last — finally
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — to go on
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fall — the season
  16. last — final
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. root — of a word
  20. suit — clothes
  21. root — the cause
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kid — to tease

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