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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: cabinet · jam · snap · mouse · bear · net · pass · root

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. root — the cause
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. net — for catching
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. net — after costs
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. net — in sport
  24. snap — to click

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