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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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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: racket · leaves · root · ruler · pass · hand · mouse · roll

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. root — the cause
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. root — of a word
  12. pass — a permit
  13. roll — a list
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. racket — for tennis

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