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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: staff · bank · game · bound · mouse · root · bat · mug

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. staff — employees
  4. bound — certain
  5. bat — the animal
  6. root — of a word
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. staff — a stick
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — employees
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mug — to rob
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bound — obliged
  23. root — of a plant
  24. game — a match

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