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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. key — in music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. key — the most important part
  16. root — the cause
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wake — a trail
  23. root — of a word
  24. arm — part of the body

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