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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
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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: cap · row · cabinet · root · key · lie · bat · stock

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. row — a line
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. root — of a word
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. root — the cause
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. key — in music
  23. stock — shares
  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