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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: cold · ball · key · pass · mouse · plane · rash · root

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. root — of a plant
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ball — a dance
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pass — a permit
  8. root — of a word
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. root — the cause
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. rash — a series
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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