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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bass — low music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ground — the earth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ground — crushed
  12. squash — to crush
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. game — a match
  16. ground — a position
  17. key — the most important part
  18. root — of a word
  19. branch — a division
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ball — a great time

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