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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: chest · mouse · root · rule · sharp · net · temple · hand

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chest — a box
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. root — of a plant
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. hand — help
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. net — after costs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. rule — government
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chest — of your body
  21. root — of a word
  22. rule — a law
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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