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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: key · cabinet · root · suit · row · tube · kid · fine

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. key — for a lock
  4. suit — clothes
  5. tube — a container
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — to tease
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. key — in music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fine — all right
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. key — the most important part
  14. root — of a plant
  15. row — a line
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. row — to paddle
  18. root — the cause
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kid — child
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fine — a penalty

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