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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.

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: root · cabinet · last · jam · date · dip · row · straw

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. root — of a word
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. row — a line
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. date — the fruit
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — to go on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — final
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. last — finally
  24. root — the cause

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