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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. mug — a cup
  4. key — for a lock
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mug — to rob
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. key — in music
  18. mug — a face
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. spring — a coil
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. patient — a sick person

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