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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: file · rush · suit · kick · squash · cabinet · key · stock

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — in music
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. file — a line of people
  7. suit — in cards
  8. squash — to crush
  9. file — a document
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — for a lock
  13. file — a tool
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. squash — the vegetable

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