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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. object — to protest
  4. board — to get on
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. root — the cause
  8. scale — in music
  9. root — of a word
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. key — for a lock
  13. object — a thing
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. board — a committee
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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