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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · root · bear · chip · snap · bound

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. root — the cause
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. key — in music
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chip — to eat
  14. snap — to click
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — for a lock

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