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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: mug · lean · file · cue · band · root · march · rush

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. file — a tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. rush — hurry
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. file — a document
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lean — thin
  10. root — of a word
  11. mug — a cup
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — to bend
  16. file — a line of people
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. band — a ring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. cue — for pool
  24. march — music

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