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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: mate · last · root · kick · nail · lie · stock · cabinet

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mate — to breed
  5. last — finally
  6. stock — shares
  7. kick — in football
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stock — goods
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — the cause
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. last — to go on
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. last — final
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. root — of a word
  23. mate — a friend
  24. nail — for a hammer

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