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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: last · cabinet · bank · degree · root · rock · tube · sharp

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. degree — an amount
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. last — to go on
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. root — the cause
  8. tube — a container
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. degree — temperature
  11. root — of a plant
  12. last — finally
  13. root — of a word
  14. last — final
  15. bank — for money
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. degree — from a university
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — exactly

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