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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: bat · can · cue · bound · root · trunk · patient · net

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. root — of a word
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bat — the animal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — of a plant
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. net — in sport
  24. trunk — of a car

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