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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ground — the earth
  4. swing — in golf
  5. root — of a word
  6. club — a group
  7. key — in music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bass — low music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ground — crushed
  17. club — for golf
  18. swing — music
  19. root — the cause
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. ground — a position
  24. club — for dancing

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