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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 120 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — a company
  5. key — for a lock
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — to fit
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. track — a song
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. track — a path
  17. content — happy
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — the amount
  20. root — the cause
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mate — a partner
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. root — of a plant

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