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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: ball · root · toast · cue · temple · rash · cabinet · rush

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. root — of a word
  6. toast — bread
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rash — a series
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rush — hurry
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. root — the cause
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. cue — for pool

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