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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mine — for digging
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. row — a line
  8. root — of a word
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pass — a permit
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rock — music
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. key — in music
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. root — the cause

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