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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — in music
  5. object — a thing
  6. wake — a trail
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — an aim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — of a word
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pop — soda
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. root — of a plant

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