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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: ground · root · cue · kick · wake · roll · rush · temple

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. roll — a list
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ground — crushed
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ground — the earth
  9. kick — in football
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. root — of a word
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. roll — a cake
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. rush — hurry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — a trail
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. root — of a plant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ground — a position

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