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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.

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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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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: pass · root · craft · key · racket · date · arm · spring

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. key — for a lock
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. root — the cause
  8. spring — of water
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — of a word
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — of a plant
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. date — the fruit
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — part of the body

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