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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. key — the most important part
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — thin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. key — in music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spring — of water
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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