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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 120 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: pit · root · bore · lie · cap · pitcher · cabinet · last

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. last — to go on
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. last — finally
  13. bore — to tire
  14. root — the cause
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. root — of a word
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. last — final
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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