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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. key — the most important part
  4. root — of a word
  5. rock — music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. root — of a plant
  9. band — a ring
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. band — a music group
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — goods
  20. pass — a permit
  21. key — in music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stock — shares

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