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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: root · nail · wake · stand · key · spring · rush · pop

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spring — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pop — soda
  12. spring — of water
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pop — music
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. key — in music
  24. wake — before a funeral

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