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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: mug · bank · season · root · chest · wave · date · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chest — a box
  4. cue — a signal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. root — of a word
  8. chest — of your body
  9. season — in sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mug — a face
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. season — of the year
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mug — to rob
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a plant
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — the cause
  24. wave — of the sea

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