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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 · bank · shower · root · cap · file · chair · cue

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. shower — rain
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. file — a document
  10. mug — to rob
  11. root — of a word
  12. file — a line of people
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mug — a cup
  17. root — the cause
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bank — for money
  21. mug — a face
  22. file — a tool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. cue — for pool

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