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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. key — for a lock
  2. root — of a word
  3. key — in music
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. current — electric
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. root — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. present — there
  15. track — to keep track
  16. current — happening now
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. current — of water
  21. stand — to bear
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  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