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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 · bore · stand · last · foot · key · plane · mate

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mate — to breed
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. last — final
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stand — to bear
  7. foot — a measure
  8. root — of a plant
  9. last — finally
  10. root — the cause
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bore — to drill
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — of a word
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mate — a friend

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