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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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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. row — to paddle
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. land — a country
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — a line
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. root — the cause
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. land — to come down
  16. root — of a word
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. key — the most important part
  22. land — ground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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