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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: safe · stand · suit · bulb · spell · root · court · race

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — to fit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. court — of law
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stand — to bear
  8. court — of a king
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — in cards
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. court — for sport
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. root — of a word
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spell — letters
  22. race — a contest
  23. spell — magic
  24. bulb — for light

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