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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. squash — the sport
  3. key — for a lock
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — a container
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. root — of a plant
  8. court — of law
  9. kid — to tease
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bass — the fish
  12. root — of a word
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. squash — to crush
  16. tube — the underground
  17. court — for sport
  18. object — to protest
  19. key — in music
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — child
  22. court — of a king
  23. bass — low music
  24. object — a thing

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