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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · foot · perch · hand · pass · key · root · rock

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pass — a permit
  4. root — of a word
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. key — for a lock
  8. hand — in cards
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — in music
  11. root — the cause
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — the most important part
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — a measure

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