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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. key — the most important part
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — a trail
  9. race — humankind
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ground — the earth
  13. race — a contest
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mug — a face
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — in music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — a permit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — a position
  24. race — the arms race

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