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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: root · roll · rock · cue · cap · court · jam · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cue — for pool
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cap — of ice
  9. roll — a list
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cap — a hat
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. root — the cause
  15. rock — music
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cue — a signal
  23. root — of a word
  24. cap — a lid

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