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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: bore · court · key · root · cap · craft · net · toast

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bore — to drill
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — a lid
  5. root — of a word
  6. key — for a lock
  7. court — for sport
  8. bore — to tire
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. toast — bread
  17. court — of a king
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. net — for catching
  22. cap — a hat
  23. key — the most important part
  24. craft — boats

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