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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · can · bass · jam · key · pound · mark · root

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — a tin
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. key — for a lock
  6. root — of a plant
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — a tin
  12. root — the cause
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — the fish
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — a weight
  19. root — of a word
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mate — a partner
  22. key — in music
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mate — a friend

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