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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — in music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — of a word
  11. last — final
  12. last — finally
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — boats
  19. last — to go on
  20. ground — a position
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ground — crushed
  24. scale — for weighing

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