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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bear — the animal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — in music
  7. root — of a word
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. root — of a plant
  10. face — to confront
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spring — of water
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. face — part of the head
  18. spring — the season
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — the cause
  24. wake — before a funeral

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