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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: bark · fork · root · key · safe · foot · toast · hand

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. key — the most important part
  5. root — of a plant
  6. foot — a measure
  7. key — in music
  8. hand — help
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — to shout
  24. key — for a lock

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