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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ground — a position
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. track — a path
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fork — in a road
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. key — in music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. track — a song

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