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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 116 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: bark · root · cabinet · dip · fine · kid · pitch · key

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. kid — child
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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