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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. file — a document
  10. lie — to recline
  11. key — the most important part
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bass — low music
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bass — the fish
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mouse — the animal

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