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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 116 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: mouse · cue · wound · spring · root · wave · pass · racket

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. spring — a coil
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. wound — an injury
  7. root — of a word
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spring — of water
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wound — an injury
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spring — the season
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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