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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: tube · key · sharp · root · temple · tear · rule · cabinet

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rule — government
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. tear — to rip
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tube — a container
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. tube — the underground
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rule — a law
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — clever
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. root — the cause

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