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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
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: key · root · file · bass · row · chest · trunk · tube

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bass — the fish
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bass — low music
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. file — a document
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — the underground
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. row — a line
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. chest — a box
  24. trunk — of a car

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