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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mark · cabinet · jam · trunk · root · land · pass · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — for a lock
  10. land — a country
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. mark — a grade
  20. root — the cause
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. root — of a word
  24. mark — a trace

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