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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · cabinet · file · cap · pitcher · ground · temple · march

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — of ice
  5. march — the month
  6. file — a document
  7. ground — crushed
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. march — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ground — the earth
  14. root — of a word
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ground — a position
  20. file — a tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — a lid

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