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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: root · bank · sharp · swing · rock · cue · mouse · fall

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. root — of a word
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cue — for pool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bank — for money
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. rock — a stone
  15. root — the cause
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — music
  24. cue — a hint

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