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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — clever
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bore — to drill
  11. key — in music
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. fine — all right
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — exactly

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