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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: ground · racket · root · mug · rule · cabinet · bank · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — government
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. rule — a law
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mug — a face
  14. root — of a word
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — crushed
  21. root — the cause
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mug — a cup

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