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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
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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: straw · pass · root · march · cue · squash · spring · roll

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spring — a coil
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. spring — the season
  6. root — the cause
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. root — of a word
  9. march — music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. roll — a cake
  16. cue — a signal
  17. march — the month
  18. root — of a plant
  19. squash — to crush
  20. roll — a list
  21. cue — a hint
  22. march — the month
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. straw — dry grass

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