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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 120 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: bat · foot · racket · root · plane · mouse · bound · mug

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. plane — a tool
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. root — of a word
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bound — obliged
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — of a plant
  24. foot — the bottom

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