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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. spring — of water
  4. ground — crushed
  5. root — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. root — the cause
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a word
  11. ground — a position
  12. object — a thing
  13. key — for a lock
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. spring — a coil
  16. key — in music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — the season
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — the most important part

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