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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rash — a series
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. key — the most important part
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. firm — decided
  16. root — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — of water
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. firm — a company
  24. safe — out of danger

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