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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 120 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: hide · mug · bay · band · fall · pop · root · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. band — a ring
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pop — soda
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fall — the season
  18. mug — a cup
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pop — to visit
  23. root — the cause
  24. hide — to keep secret

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