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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: rock · root · snap · pass · pop · deal · cabinet · tube

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — a permit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. tube — a container
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rock — a stone
  21. root — the cause
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. root — of a word

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