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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: ruler · clip · mate · key · bear · root · firm · cap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. key — for a lock
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. root — of a word
  15. cap — of ice
  16. firm — decided
  17. cap — a hat
  18. clip — to cut
  19. mate — to breed
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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