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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: swing · bank · stock · temple · root · rush · cue · suit

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bank — for money
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cue — for pool
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. root — of a plant
  15. swing — to play on
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stock — shares
  18. swing — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bank — for money
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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