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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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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: key · stem · row · perch · root · sharp · straw · bay

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. row — a line
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. row — to paddle
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. sharp — clever
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. perch — the fish
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. root — the cause
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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