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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: ball · bound · last · root · bay · hide · straw · key

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. root — the cause
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. last — to go on
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bound — certain
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. last — final
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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