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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — a trace
  3. club — for golf
  4. can — a tin
  5. track — a song
  6. key — the most important part
  7. can — a tin
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. key — in music
  11. mark — a grade
  12. root — the cause
  13. club — a group
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. degree — temperature
  20. club — for dancing
  21. track — a path
  22. degree — from a university
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. degree — an amount

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