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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: content · rush · root · kick · mouse · can · cue · straw

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cue — for pool
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — the cause
  5. rush — hurry
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. content — happy
  15. can — to be able to
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. content — the amount
  23. can — a tin
  24. straw — a straw man

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