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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. scale — size or range
  18. toast — bread
  19. board — a committee
  20. root — of a plant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. key — for a lock

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