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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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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: root · squash · stick · shower · rule · mouse · toast · bank

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. squash — to crush
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — for money
  7. rule — a law
  8. root — the cause
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. toast — bread
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rule — government
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bank — of a river
  24. squash — the vegetable

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