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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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Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — of a word
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. march — the month
  7. key — in music
  8. game — a match
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rest — a break
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — low music
  19. march — music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. key — the most important part
  22. content — happy
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. march — the month

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