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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. root — of a word
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. content — the amount
  13. stem — to come from
  14. root — of a plant
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rock — music
  17. content — happy
  18. root — the cause
  19. mate — a partner
  20. game — a match
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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