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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — the cause
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pop — soda
  11. craft — boats
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pop — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — a skill
  16. key — for a lock
  17. band — a ring
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — to visit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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