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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — farmland
  3. key — in music
  4. field — a subject
  5. key — for a lock
  6. drill — army training
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. squash — the sport
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. craft — boats
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. drill — the tool
  17. field — for sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. root — of a word
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fine — all right
  23. drill — a practice
  24. craft — a handicraft

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