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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: mug · hand · rule · suit · root · file · ball · mate

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. file — a tool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. file — a line of people
  9. hand — help
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — a law
  12. mug — a face
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mug — to rob
  18. file — a document
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rule — government
  23. root — the cause
  24. mate — a friend

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