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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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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: fork · bulb · chair · cue · root · suit · lie · can

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — of a word
  4. cue — a signal
  5. root — the cause
  6. chair — a leader
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fork — in a road
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. can — a tin

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