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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: squash · root · mouse · wake · firm · spring · mine · cap

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. root — the cause
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. root — of a word
  9. cap — a lid
  10. firm — a company
  11. spring — the season
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spring — of water
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. spring — a coil
  22. cap — of ice
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — of a plant

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