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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: mouse · bank · mate · mug · march · suit · root · present

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — a gift
  4. march — music
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mug — a face
  10. march — the month
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bank — for money
  16. mug — to rob
  17. present — there
  18. march — the month
  19. root — of a plant
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. present — the time now

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