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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: wake · can · roll · suit · patient · pound · root · rest

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. roll — a list
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — the cause
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rest — a break
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rest — what's left
  21. suit — in cards
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — to hit hard

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