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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — low music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wake — a trail
  8. key — in music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. root — the cause
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. root — of a plant
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wound — an injury
  24. root — of a word

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