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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: present · mate · pound · mouse · wound · rush · root · cabinet

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. present — a gift
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. root — of a word
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — the time now
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wound — an injury
  24. root — the cause

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