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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: root · cue · cold · season · mate · pit · mouse · staff

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mate — a partner
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — a stick
  9. season — in sport
  10. staff — employees
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cue — for pool
  13. root — of a word
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cue — a hint
  17. staff — employees
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. season — of the year
  21. cold — an illness
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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