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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · root · patient · band · mug · squash · wake · trunk

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mug — a face
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mug — to rob
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. squash — the sport
  10. band — a ring
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. roll — a cake
  14. mug — a cup
  15. roll — a list
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. band — a music group
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. squash — to crush

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