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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — in music
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — for a lock
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. root — of a word
  18. present — a gift
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. object — a thing
  21. present — there
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — the most important part

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