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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spell — magic
  5. key — the most important part
  6. row — to paddle
  7. object — a thing
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — letters
  11. object — to protest
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — in music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. row — a line
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — the cause
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cabinet — ministers

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