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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — a division
  4. dip — to sink
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — to eat
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. foot — a measure
  16. scale — in music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. root — the cause

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