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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. kick — in football
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mate — a partner
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. track — a path
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. root — of a word
  18. track — a song
  19. root — the cause
  20. mark — a trace
  21. track — to keep track
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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