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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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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. root — of a plant
  4. key — the most important part
  5. snap — to click
  6. lean — thin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chest — of your body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. key — in music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chest — of your body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. scale — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pop — music
  24. chest — a box

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