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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.

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: cue · lean · root · file · bulb · rush · cold · court

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. court — of law
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. root — of a word
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — for pool
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. lean — to bend
  10. court — for sport
  11. cold — not warm
  12. court — of a king
  13. rush — hurry
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cold — an illness
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cue — a signal
  20. file — a tool
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — thin
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rush — a thrill

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