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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — in football
  6. cap — a lid
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — a face
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — of ice
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cap — a hat
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. key — in music
  24. pass — a permit

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