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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spring — the season
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. spring — a coil
  6. root — the cause
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — the most important part
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lean — thin
  15. root — of a word
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spring — of water
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — in music

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