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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — of a word
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. key — the most important part
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. ground — crushed
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — a position
  17. row — to paddle
  18. tube — a container
  19. root — the cause
  20. row — a line
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. root — of a plant
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — for a lock

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