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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. root — of a plant
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — in control
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. chip — for betting
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. court — of law
  22. key — in music
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. charge — a price

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