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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · capital · root · club · cue · rash · mouse · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. capital — money
  3. cue — a signal
  4. root — of a word
  5. capital — a city
  6. rash — a series
  7. mark — a trace
  8. club — a group
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. club — for dancing
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  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