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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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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: kick · cue · racket · snap · cabinet · clip · root · rule

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — a video
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kick — in football
  6. snap — to click
  7. root — the cause
  8. clip — to cut
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rule — government
  11. cue — a hint
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. clip — for paper
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rule — a law
  16. root — of a word
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cue — a signal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rule — to rule out

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