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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. spell — a short time
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — for a lock
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — the most important part
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. root — the cause
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. key — in music
  21. spell — letters
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — an aim

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