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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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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: rush · perch · firm · board · rock · suit · root · key

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — a committee
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rush — hurry
  5. firm — steady
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. key — in music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. board — to get on
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — clothes
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — of a word
  18. rock — a stone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. perch — the fish
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — the cause

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