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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. root — the cause
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. root — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. root — of a word
  18. key — for a lock

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