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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: squash · bowl · key · pound · safe · object · root · bay

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. squash — to crush
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — a weight
  9. object — to protest
  10. key — in music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — the sport
  16. root — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. object — a thing
  21. root — the cause
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bowl — a dish

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