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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 · swing · key · fine · face · rush · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. swing — in golf
  6. key — in music
  7. root — the cause
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — a permit
  12. spring — a coil
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spring — the season
  18. swing — to play on
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. swing — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rush — a thrill

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