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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · root · tube · cabinet · row · swing · mate · capital

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — to paddle
  4. root — of a word
  5. mate — a friend
  6. capital — money
  7. row — a line
  8. tube — a container
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. capital — a city
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tube — the underground
  20. swing — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. tube — in a tire

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