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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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468
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — in music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — a hole
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — the most important part
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — in football
  22. drill — a practice
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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