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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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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: key · lash · present · net · root · march · wave · mate

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. net — after costs
  5. key — in music
  6. net — for catching
  7. root — of a plant
  8. net — in sport
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. march — music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. root — the cause
  13. present — there
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. present — a gift
  17. key — for a lock
  18. march — the month
  19. present — the time now
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mate — a partner

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