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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: jam · can · key · tube · row · file · stock · root

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. root — the cause
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. row — to paddle
  10. tube — the underground
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a tool
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. file — a line of people
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. root — of a word
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stock — shares
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stock — goods

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