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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: chair · file · net · content · key · calf · root · temple

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. file — a tool
  3. net — for catching
  4. key — in music
  5. root — of a word
  6. net — in sport
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. key — the most important part
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — the amount
  13. file — a line of people
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — the cause
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chair — a leader
  22. net — after costs
  23. file — a document
  24. content — happy

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