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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: bass · object · board · club · stick · key · root · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. object — to protest
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — a thing
  9. club — for golf
  10. key — for a lock
  11. club — for dancing
  12. spell — letters
  13. key — in music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. root — the cause
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — a group
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a committee

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