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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 124 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. key — for a lock
  8. lean — thin
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. spell — letters
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. key — in music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a word
  24. can — to be able to

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