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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.

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: game · track · mug · can · root · cabinet · march · stem

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — the cause
  3. track — a path
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — a face
  11. game — wild animals
  12. track — a song
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. march — music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. track — to keep track
  18. root — of a word
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mug — to rob
  24. march — the month

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