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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 · fine · temple · swing · mate · file · key · nail

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. file — a tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a friend
  7. swing — to play on
  8. key — for a lock
  9. file — a document
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. key — in music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. file — a line of people
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — all right
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. mate — a partner
  21. root — of a word
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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