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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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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 · game · racket · tear · kick · suit · cabinet · mouse

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kick — in football
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. root — the cause
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tear — to rip
  16. root — of a word
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. game — a match
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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